Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
statues of the resident god (the smallest inside the glass is the oldest). Note the
pillars in here are rounded. In pillar hierarchy, round is best, octagonal second-
best, and rectangular third.
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The exterior of the Main Hall is covered in masterful paintings completed by Pan
Lishui in 1973. The back shows the legendary ghost queller Zhong Kui welcoming
his sister home.
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Like most larger temples, Bao'an features a rear hall (note the single eave) with
shrines to various deities. Check out the delicate bird and flower pillars (made in
1918) and the exorcism room to the far right.
Temple Decorative Arts
Jiǎnniàn
One of the most delightful of the folk arts,
jiǎnniàn
(cut-and-paste) is a method of decor-
ating figurines with coloured shards. Imagine a three-dimensional mosaic.
True
jiǎnniàn
uses sheared ceramic bowls for raw material. The irregular pieces are
then embedded by hand into a clay figurine. These days many artists use pre-made glass
pieces but still embed them by hand. Some temples save money by simply buying prefab
whole figurines.
Jiǎnniàn
is usually found on the rooftops of temples (which can often be reached by
stairs). Figures include humans, dragons, phoenix, carp, flowers and the eight immortals.
Examples are Bao'an Temple and Qingshan Temple in Taipei, Kaohsiung's City God
Temple, and Zhenxing Temple in Jiali.
Cochin Pottery
A type of colourful low-fired, lead-glazed ceramic, cochin (also spelled
koji
) is one of
Taiwan's unique decorative arts. The style is related to Chinese tri-colour pottery and
came to Taiwan in the 18th century. Common themes include human figures, landscapes,
flowers and plants, as well as tableaux depicting stories from mythology and history.
Cochin pottery is found under eaves, on lintels or on the rooftop.
Examples are Chenghuang Temple in Chiayi, Confucius Temple in Taipei, Zhenxing
Temple in Jiali, Ciji Temple in Xuejia, and Cochin Ceramic Museum in Chiayi.
