Swallowtail Roof

A swallowtail roof (燕尾脊, Hokkien ìnn-bé-tsiah, Mandarin yanwei ji) is a tiled roof whose main ridge curves upward toward each end and finishes in a forked point resembling a swallow's tail. It is the signature roofline of Hokkien (Minnan) architecture in southern Fujian and in Taiwan, and also appears in Hokkien communities in South-East Asia.

Form

The ridge rises in a continuous curve from the centre and splits at the tip into two points. The degree of upsweep varies from a gentle lift to a dramatic, almost vertical flourish. The ridge can be single or doubled, with a second, shorter ridge stacked above. Swallowtail ridges are usually richly decorated with coloured carvings and figures of dragons, phoenixes, flowers and legends, often in cut-porcelain work.

Origins and use

The style is associated with the 16th century, in the Ming dynasty, when Hoklo merchants grew rich through trade with South-East Asia, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands and Japan and used ornate roofs to display their wealth. It is rarely seen in the architecture of other Han Chinese groups. Swallowtails appear mainly on major temples, mansions and ancestral halls rather than ordinary houses. Some sources link the right to a swallowtail ridge with families of official rank, but the association is not well documented.

Cut-porcelain decoration

The ridges are often covered in cut-porcelain work (剪瓷雕, tsián-huî-tiau): craftsmen cut or grind small coloured porcelain pieces, such as bowls, and press them into mortar sculptures on ridges, eaves and gables. Taiwan has developed a newer style that combines cut porcelain with glazed cochin ware.

Construction

Like other southern Chinese roofs, a swallowtail roof is laid with clay tiles on a timber frame, with the decorated ridge built up on top of the tiled slopes.

Examples

Notable examples include temples such as Beipu Citian Temple in Hsinchu County and Fengtian Temple in Chiayi in Taiwan, and Hokkien temples and ancestral halls across southern Fujian.