Drip tiles -- art on the eaves of Chinese buildings

    The origin of Chinese tile is almost as old as the Chinese civilization.What is more amazing is that the Chinese ancestors used to collect earth with gold, water and mud, and burn them in the fire to form tiles, which were stacked above the rafters to cover the head and shelter the Chinese from wind and rain.

    In traditional architecture, tiles are a necessary roof material.The longitudinal arrangement of tiles can make the roof transition smooth and continuous, so that the building itself more upright.When people are watching ancient buildings, their eyes will unconsciously lead from the roof under the eaves to the roof and even to the distant horizon, giving people a vast and far-reaching space for imagination.

    In ancient Chinese architecture, tile pieces of different ages also show different features and characteristics.The tiles at the front of the eaves are divided into two kinds, one is round or semi-round, with the tile face arc-shaped downwards, and the other is triangular or wishful, with the tile face arc-shaped upwards.The former is called "eave tile", the latter is called "drip tile".

    The bottom of the dripping tile has a drooping round tip shape, and the bottom tile is placed on the eaves. When building the roof, it is placed on the eaves, which is convenient to guide the rain down and protect the clean wall.From the use value, tile and dripping tile complete a perfect combination, from the architectural modeling, tile and dripping tile show the beauty of harmony.

    Drip tiles are painted with plant or flower lines before they are fired.Small one side drip tile, the design above is carefully drawn, visible its delicate and elegant. Moire, flowers, birds and animals, Chinese characters, drip tile and its good partner tile together, forming a unique landscape on the building.

    In the early stage, the included Angle of "drip tile" and tile body is generally a right Angle. In the late stage, it is increased to more than one hundred degrees to facilitate the outflow of water. It has a very strong scientific nature and shows the level of decorative and practical combination of ancient tile in China.Chinese ancients advocate the beauty of nature, and they inadvertently created the thick and simple beauty similar to the mud, which perfectly reflects the wisdom and deposits of the East.