This document provides an overview of Chinese Cut & Paste Shard Art, also known as Jian Nian. It originated in southern China as a cheaper alternative to more expensive Koji pottery, using broken pottery shards. It later spread throughout southeast Asia and Taiwan, where it is commonly used to decorate temples and buildings. The document includes many photographs showcasing examples of Cut & Paste Shard Art decorations on architectural structures throughout China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and elsewhere in Asia.

1. First created 13 Apr 2014. Version 1.0 - 25 Jun 2014. Jerry Tse. London.
Shard Art
All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective owners. Available
free for non-commercial and personal use.
Chinese Cut & Paste Shard Art
剪黏

2. History – Koji Pottery In southern coastal Chinese temples, it is common practice to decorate the main ridge of their
temple with soft pottery figurines. Each piece was made individually. It is a time consuming
and expensive business. These pottery figurines are called Koji pottery. Soft colour pottery
originates during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Ceramic figurines on the main ridge of the roof at Tin Hau Temple, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong.
交趾陶

3. History – Koji Pottery 交趾陶
An example of a traditional Koji figurine of a cavalry military officer on horse back.

4. History – Cut & Paste Shard Art
Cut & Paste Shard figurines on the ridge of the temple Chen Hoon Teng in Malacca, Malaysia.
剪瓷雕 / 剪花 / 剪黏
Cut & Paste Shard Art is mainly found in the province of Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan and throughout Southeast Asia.
Originally, Cut & Paste Shard Art used broken pottery shards as raw material. It was a cheap alternative to the more expensive
Koji pottery. One school said, it was started in Chaozhou 潮州, Guangdong around 1573 to 1620 in the reign of Wanli, in the
Ming Dynasty. Soon it spread north to southern Fujian. In 1912, some Cut & Paste Shard Art Shard artists immigrated to
Taiwan, which is now an important centre for the craft.
also called Cut Pottery Relief / Cut Decorations / Jian Nian

5. Process - Material
Today these brightly colour bowls are the raw material for the Cut & Paste Shard artists.

6. Process - Preparation
Then the pottery is into various different shapes and sizes to be pasted into figurines.

7. Process - Cutting
A large piece of pottery is cut into the desired shape with a diamond cutter.

8. A cut piece of pottery is then pasted onto a frame to form part of the relief picture. Yengkeng Hotel. George Town, Penang.
Process - Pasting

9. Vihara Sien, Pattaya, Thailand
Vihara Sien Chinese Temple, nr Pattaya.

10. Bao-An Temple, Taipei, Taiwan
The Bao-An Temple in Taipei, it an important temple of the city. It is a 230 year old Taoist and Chinese folk religion temple. This
is the entrance gateway into the temple.

11. Detail of the Cut & Paste Shard Art pieces on the ridge of the gateway entrance to the Bao-An Temple in Taipei, Taiwan.
Bao-An Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

12. Very colourful Cut & Paste Shard Art on the main entrance gateway, Bao-An Chinese Temple, Taipei, Taiwan.
Bao-An Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

13. This is the main temple building with its roof-top Cut & Paste Shard Art, Bao-An Temple in Taipei.
Bao-An Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

14. Cut & Paste Shard Art on the main temple building, Bao-An Chinese Temple, Taipei, Taiwan.
Bao-An Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

15. Roof dragon at the Bao-An Chinese Temple, Taipei, Taiwan. Note how the sea waves are depicted.
Bao-An Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

16. Dragon Fountain Park, nr Bao-An Chinese Temple, Taipei, Taiwan.
Dragon Fountain Park, Taipei, Taiwan

17. Dragon Fountain Park, Taipei, Taiwan.
Dragon Fountain Park, Taipei, Taiwan

18. Mengjia Longshan Chinese Temple, Taipei, Taiwan.
Mengjia Longshan Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

19. Le Cheng Matsu Chinese Temple, Taichung, Taiwan.
Le Cheng Temple, Taichung, Taiwan

20. Roof phoenix on the Le Cheng Matsu Chinese Temple, Taichung, Taiwan.
Le Cheng Temple, Taichung, Taiwan

21. Shantow. Guangdong, China
Roof decoration on a Chinese temple, Shantow, Guangdong, China..

22. Shantow. Guangdong, China
Roof decoration on a Chinese temple, Shantow, Guangdong, China..

23. Guandi Temple, Xiamen, Fukien, China
Guandi Temple, Dongshan Island, Xiamen, Fukien the roof ridge is decoration with Cut & Paste Shard art.

24. Detail of the roof ridge Cut & Paste Shard art decoration. Guandi Temple, Dongshan Island, Xiamen.
Guandi Temple, Xiamen, Fukien, China

25. Tin Hau Temple, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
It is unusual to find Cut and Paste Shard art in Hong Kong’s Temple. Of all the main temples in Hong Kong, this is the only example
I can find. It is on the roof ridge of the Causeway Bay Tin Hau Temple. The dragons are made of Cut & Paste Shard art, while the rest
of the decoration are Koji pottery.

26. Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca, Malaysia
Built in 1645 during Dutch rule, the Cheng Hoon Teng temple has the longest history of any Chinese temple in Malaysia.

27. Cut & Paste figures on the ridge of the Cheng Hoon Teng main temple.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca, Malaysia

28. Part of the Eight Immortals of Taoist gods on the ridge of the Cheng Hoon Teng temple.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca, Malaysia

29. A group of fighting figures on the ridge of the Cheng Hoon Teng main temple. (Background removed for clarity).
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca, Malaysia

30. Two lions on the ridge of the Cheng Hoon Teng main temple.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca, Malaysia

31. A Cut & Paste Shard Art panel on the
gable of the Cheng Hoon Teng main
temple.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple,
Malacca, Malaysia

32. Yengkeng Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Mythical Chinese phoenix. Yengkeng Hotel. George Town, Penang.

33. Mythical Chinese phoenix. Yengkeng Hotel. George Town, Penang.
Yengkeng Hotel, Penang, Malaysia

34. Hainan Temple, Penang, Malaysia
The entrance gateway to the Hainan Temple. George Town, Penang.

35. A dragon in detail at the entrance gateway to the Hainan Temple. George Town, Penang.
Hainan Temple, Penang, Malaysia

36. Dragons on the ridge of the main Hainan Temple. George Town, Penang.
Hainan Temple, Penang, Malaysia

37. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
Cheong Fatt Tze is a private residence built in 1896. Cut & Paste Shard Art panels are used for decorations. George Town, Penang.

38. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
All the panel was the work of Li Wucai (Five colours Li) in 1898. Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion.

39. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

40. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

41. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

42. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

43. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
This one includes a clock in the art work. Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

44. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
This one includes two housing boxes. Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

45. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
This one also has two housing boxes. Balcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

46. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia
Cut & Paste panel uses for gable decoration, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

47. Snake Temple, Penang, Malaysia
Cut & Paste dragon on the roof of the Snake Temple, Penang, Malaysia.

48. Khoo Kongsi, Penang, Malaysia
Cut & Paste Shard Art on the roof of the magnificant Khoo Kongsi Clan House, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

49. Khoo Kongsi, Penang, Malaysia
One of the four main panel on the roof of the clan house. Khoo Kongsi Clan House, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

50. Khoo Kongsi, Penang, Malaysia
One of the four main panel on the roof of the clan house. Khoo Kongsi Clan House, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

51. Sculptural piece
A sculptural Cut & Paste Shard statue, made up
of patterned and decorated ceramic, instead of
the monochrome pieces, made by 陳三火.

52. All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective owners.
Available free for non-commercial and personal use.
Music – Once Upon a Time by Ernesto Cortazar.
A large Cut & Paste Shard Art sculpture depicting the meeting of two eagles, Taiwan.
The
End