Art on the Rooftops: Taiwan’s Inlaid Porcelain Tradition
Taiwan’s inlaid porcelain tradition, also known as “jiannian,” is a hallmark of the island’s temple culture, shaping its visual and spiritual identity with meticulously crafted rooftop embellishments.
Sense of Wander: ★★★☆☆
Artisan San-Huo Chen vividly depicts the Lion Dance, a traditional folk performance, through the jiannian craft.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — If you’ve ever visited a temple in Taiwan, you’ll have noticed the majestic dragons, soaring phoenixes, and animated figurines adorning its rooftop. These intricate embellishments, often admired from afar, appear seamless and whole. But if you’re offered a rare opportunity to get a closer look at them, you’ll discover an astonishing detail: each sculpture is meticulously crafted from countless porcelain fragments.
This type of mosaic sculpture is known as jiannian, which literally translates to “cut-and-paste” in Mandarin. While the term may sound unusual, it perfectly encapsulates the technique involved: materials like porcelain or glass are “cut” (jian) into fragments and “pasted” (nian) together to create a myriad of shapes and forms.
The origins of Taiwan’s jiannian craft trace back to southern China, where the technique is sometimes called qianci, meaning “inlaid porcelain.” The exact time of its introduction to Taiwan remains controversial, but historical records show that during the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi (1683–1723), temples in Taiwan began hiring Tangshan craftsmen — a term referring to artisans from Quanzhou and Fuzhou in Fujian Province, China — to carry out this unique craft.
By the 1980s, the mass production of lingtang — a technique that involves “pouring” (ling) bright, durable “glaze” (tang) — began replacing the labour-intensive jiannian craft. This shift posed a challenge to jiannian artisans, making it increasingly difficult to preserve this time-honoured tradition. Yet, dedicated artisans like San-Huo Chen, a jiannian master from Madou District in Tainan City, have worked tirelessly to safeguard this artistic heritage.
The special exhibition Destiny Calls: Chen San-Huo’s Jiannian Art shed light on the artistry of San-Huo Chen, a Taiwanese artisan renowned for mastering the jiannian craft.
At the height of his career, people would give used or broken ceramic and porcelain ware to Chen for him to use in his work.
In the jiannian technique, porcelain and ceramic shards are “pasted” onto a clay mould base.
While Chen’s jiannian works can be admired in temples across Taiwan, the special exhibition Destiny Calls: Chen San-Huo’s Jiannian Art spares visitors the effort of traveling far and wide by presenting 32 of the master artisan’s creations in one place: the Taipei Branch of the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute.
Born in 1949 in Madou, Tainan City, Chen completed his apprenticeship at just 19 years old, culminating in his first independent project at a local temple.
The exhibition features an array of jiannian sculptures, including an impressive series that personifies the 24 Solar Terms. These figures, displayed in pairs, are executed in full three-dimensional form — a notable departure from the traditional semi-relief style of jiannian.
A closer look at the sculptures reveals the materials central to Chen’s artistry: fragments of local and imported alcohol bottles, including those from Kinmen Distillery and Findlater’s Scotch Whisky, are integrated into the designs.
In some sculptures, wine cups are repurposed as hats, while curved ceramic spoon adds a sense of motion to wind-swept sleeves. Despite the varied thickness, colours, and textures of the materials, Chen’s masterful artistry unites them into harmonious creations that resemble what I would describe as “three-dimensional collages.” Each fragment finds a new “home,” transformed into something extraordinary through the hands of the artisan.
San-Huo Chen personifies each of the 24 solar terms using the jiannian craft, offering us a glimpse into his unique taste in material selection and assembly.
On the back of “Rain Water” (right), the characters “Kinmen Republic” in red can be seen upside down.
The flowing cuff of “Winter Solstice” is constructed from a Kinmen wine bottle, inscribed with the Chinese character “shou” (meaning “longevity”) in gold.
Unsurprisingly, religious themes are also an important source of inspiration for Chen. One of the works on display features Mazu, the Mother of Heaven, accompanied by her entourage. Her costume is crafted from an array of porcelain shards, each showcasing unique colours and patterns. This kaleidoscopic selection of materials highlights the deity’s all-encompassing compassion without diminishing the reverence she commands.
In this piece, Chen employs the “random tapping” technique, a method he invented in 2002. Unlike the traditional “cutting” approach, this technique involves a deliberate act of “tapping,” which results in spontaneous and unpredictable fragments. This process reflects the serendipitous nature of Chen’s creations, aptly captured by the exhibition title Destiny Calls, highlighting how each fragment finds its destined place in his artwork.
While jiannian in Taiwan traditionally focuses on local themes, Chen’s open-mind led to the creation of an extraordinary piece: Pietà.
Following his trip to Europe, Chen reimagined Michelangelo’s La Madonna della Pietà using jiannian techniques, giving birth to remarkable fusion of a Christian theme with Taiwanese craftsmanship. Personally, I’m very inspired by the artist’s ability to push the boundaries of jiannian, especially in how the craft has the potential to bridge diverse cultural and artistic traditions.
San-Huo Chen’s Mazu’s Parade captures the religious landscape of Taiwan.
After returning from a trip to Europe, Chen created the Pietà, inspired by the work of Italian Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo.
In 2010, Chen expanded his material palette beyond recycled porcelain, ceramics and glass, incorporating abandoned oyster shells from Chiayi. The rustic, rugged texture of these shells didn’t hinder his creativity; instead, it inspired him to conceive the Twelve Chinese Zodiac series, where each animal is brought to life with remarkable artistry.
A decade later, in 2020, Chen was honoured with the title of “National Living Treasure” by the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, solidifying his role as a gatekeeper and preserver of the jiannian craft.
While browsing through Chen’s works, I couldn’t help but recall kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by joining the areas of breakage with gold. While the art of kintsugi celebrates the beauty of imperfections, the art of jiannian, in my view, takes imperfection to a new height by demonstrating how broken pieces — which are impossible to mend by fine gold line alone — can still be given new life.
During my research on the subject, I discovered that some have referred to “jiannian” using the Catalan term “trencadís,” a technique popularised by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, where tile pieces are cemented together to form a mosaic.
However, it’s important to note that the tiles used in trencadís are generally smaller and more uniform in size, despite their irregular shapes. This allows for greater control by the artisan compared to the larger, more varied fragments used in jiannian. Even when executed in three-dimensional form, trencadís mosaics typically appear flatter, whereas jiannian craft often results in more dynamic, fully three-dimensional sculptures.
Now that you have a closer look at jiannian, the next time you pass by a temple in Taiwan, take a moment to look up at the rooftops. You might just spot hand-crafted jiannian art hidden amidst the dragons and phoenixes.
Have any questions or thoughts? Feel free to share them in the comments below!
Modern themes such as Slam Dunk breathe new life into centuries-old jiannian craft.
Dragon by San-Huo Chen, crafted from recycled oyster shells.
Reference:
National Cultural Heritage Website. (2016, Jan). Jiannian. Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture. https://nchdb.boch.gov.tw/assets/overview/traditionalCraft/20101126000004
The exhibition Destiny Calls: Chen San-Huo’s Jiannian Art is on view at the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute, Taipei Branch, through February 9, 2025.