Cut & Paste Shard Art

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

Chaozhou was an important historic centre for ceramic exports to South East. There were several kilns in the area to produce low cost pottery. Some of the broken pottery found its way to become the raw material for the making of Cut & Paste Shard Art, . From it spread northward into Fukien. Because of its historical relationship with Fukien, Taiwan adopted Shard Art as decoration to its Chinese temple. Importantly in the early 20th Century a group of craftsman migrated to Taiwan and start producing Cut & Paste Shard Art there. Today Taiwan is an important centre of the art. It is also a new frontier of pushing the boundary of the traditional art forward. A new generation of children is monochrome pottery coffee cups made in Japan. / / 25 Jun 2014.1

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.

History Koji PotteryAn example of a traditional Koji figurine of a cavalry military officer on horse back.

History Cut & Paste Shard Art

Cut & Paste Shard figurines on the ridge of the temple Chen Hoon Teng in Malacca, Malaysia. / / 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 , 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

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

Process - Preparation

Then the pottery is into various different shapes and sizes to be pasted into figurines.

Process - Cutting

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

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

Vihara Sien, Pattaya, ThailandVihara Sien Chinese Temple, nr Pattaya.

Bao-An Temple, Taipei, TaiwanThe 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shantow. Guangdong, ChinaRoof decoration on a Chinese temple, Shantow, Guangdong, China..

Shantow. Guangdong, ChinaRoof decoration on a Chinese temple, Shantow, Guangdong, China..

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

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

Tin Hau Temple, Causeway Bay, Hong KongIt is unusual to find Cut and Paste Shard art in Hong Kongs 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yengkeng Hotel, Penang, Malaysia

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

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

Hainan Temple, Penang, MalaysiaThe entrance gateway to the Hainan Temple. George Town, Penang.

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

Hainan Temple, Penang, Malaysia

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

Hainan Temple, Penang, Malaysia

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

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.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, MalaysiaBalcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, MalaysiaBalcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, MalaysiaBalcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, MalaysiaBalcony panel, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

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

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

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sculptural piece

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

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