jiǎnbiān 剪邊

Note

Meaning, literally, “trimming (the) edge” (Kroll 2016), in traditional literature the only reference to jianbian 剪邊 as an architectural term is in the Yingzao fashi (1103). Jianbian refers to the part of the tiled roof extending beyond the wall plane in which the plate tiles are arranged parallel to the edges along the slopes. According to the Yingzao fashi, jianbian are usually used in ordinary buildings (Li 2009, 13.4b). Jianbian have not been found in extant buildings contemporary with the Yingzao fashi, but it can be seen in paintings of architecture from around the same time, such as in “Pictures of Gentlemen” (Gao Shi Tu 高士圖) by Wei Xian 衛賢 (fl. 10th cen.) and “Along the River at the Qingming Festival” (Qingming Shanghe Tu 清明上河圖) by Zhang Zeduan 張擇端 (fl. early 12th cen).3

In modern scholarship jianbian 剪邊 is also commonly used to refer to the application of different tile types or colors on the eaves and ridges of a roof, for example, using glazed tiles for the eaves and ridges and xuegewa 削割瓦 or buwa 布瓦 elsewhere on the roof or using yellow glazed tiles for the eaves and ridges and green glazed tiles for the rest (Liu 2015, 161). By the late 1950s, the term jianbian was used more generally to describe the characteristics of tile roofs in traditional architecture (Du et al. 1958, 28). Using different colored tiles to trim the eaves and ridges has been described in Song dynasty literature, but without a specific name (Tuotuo 1978, 2474). The Ming dynasty terms xiangbian 廂邊 (Fan 1628, 10.40b; Chen et al. 1638, 5.21b) and yuanbian 緣邊 (Ge 1608, 1.14b) and the Qing dynasty terms jianbian 減邊 (Eertai et al. 1796, 112.8b) and jianbian 堿邊 (Di que cheng yuan guizhi 帝闕城垣規制) refer to a similar practice (Qing 1.7b;1.39b). 5

在古代文獻中，剪邊作為建築術語，目前僅見于宋《營造法式》 (1103)。指屋頂兩山垂脊之外的部分，且採用平行於屋脊順坡排列瓪瓦的做法，據《營造法式》，剪邊通常用於普通房屋（李 2009，13.4b）。 4

與《營造法式》同時代的建築實例中，“剪邊”已無可考，但在圖像資料中可以見到符合《營造法式》描述的“剪邊”形象。如五代衛賢《高士圖》中繪有廈兩頭造屋頂剪邊，宋·張擇端《清明上河圖》中繪有不廈兩頭造屋頂剪邊。

剪邊作為一種瓦屋面用瓦方式的描述，並未見於古籍，是現代學者創造並普遍使用的術語。指簷頭和屋脊所用瓦的種類或顏色與屋面其他部分不同，如用琉璃瓦件做簷頭和屋脊，用削割瓦或布瓦做屋面，或以一種顏色的琉璃瓦件做簷頭和屋脊，以另一種顏色的琉璃瓦做屋面，如黃心綠剪邊或綠心黃剪邊（劉 2015，161）。至遲在20世紀50年代後期，“剪邊”一詞已普遍被用於描述古建築瓦屋面用瓦特徵（杜等 1958，28）。類似做法在宋代文獻中已有描述，但無專用名稱（脱脱 1978，2474）。明代出現“廂邊”（范 1628-1644，10.40b; 陈等 1638, 5.21b）、“緣邊”（葛 1608, 1.14b），清代出現“減邊” （鄂爾泰等 1796，112.8b）和“堿邊”（帝闕城垣規制 清，1.7b;1.39b）指代類似做法。 5

Broad Match: architectural ornament