Qilin Taizi, a jiannian sculpture on the roof ridge of the gate area of Tianhou Temple at Qihou, Kaohsiung, is ornate and finely made. (Cheng Heng-lung)

Deeply historically and culturally rooted, Taiwanese temple architecture is distinguished in part by the jian­nian (“cut and paste”) sculpture that adorns its roof ridges. The sculptures, which depict dragons, beasts, characters from fables and parables, and legendary immortals, are truly magnificent.

The craft has been passed down through the generations in Tai­nan, home to Taiwan’s densest collection of temples and to the Ye family, renowned jian­nian artisans. The craft itself brightens and brings color to otherwise solemn temple culture by transforming pottery shards and bits of broken flower vases into vibrant sculptures.

Jian­nian originated in the Chao­zhou area of Guang­dong Province some 400 years ago. Chao­zhou has produced ceramics since ancient times, and its masons long used discarded pottery shards to decorate their structures. The craft, known there as jian­hua (“cut flowers”), later made its way to Taiwan with Chinese immigrants.

Similar to mosaic, jian­nian is the practice of cutting pottery shards to shape and embedding them into roughly formed plaster to create decorative images.

The technique owes much to painting. Using steel wire as “bones” and plaster as “flesh,” artisans shape figures of humans, birds, beasts, and flowers. They then use pincers to clip bits of glass or colored ceramics. Embedded in the plaster “flesh,” these become the skin. Completed sculptures are mounted atop the roof ridges and under the eaves of Taiwanese temples.