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Between 1912 and 1936, traditional and relatively modern buildings in Taiwan's main island and the outlying island Kinmen often made use of new building materials: Majolica tiles could be seen decorated on the facades of buildings and inlays on furniture. These porcelain tiles are also called Majolica tiles in Taiwan. The technology for making this type of tiles was originally invented in Europe and later spread to Asia, and the most famous tiles were made in Japan. The use of Majolica tiles in Taiwan and Kinmen did not continue for a long period. It was accompanied by the introduction of new construction methods and architectural decoration. Because of the tiles’ variety of color, intricate design and convenient use, they were often used in people’s homes, ancestral temples, and bungalows. Not only were they used to attract attention, the new architectural practice was also a way for people to display their social and economic status. Majolica tiles not only serve a decorative function for architecture, they also reflect the legacy of history. They provide a record for the construction and restoration of buildings, and give us a glimpse into the life and cultural context of an era. A large number of Majolica tiles were used in Taiwan and Kinmen, and they can still be seen on some traditional buildings to this day. However, due to changes in the environment, there are only a handful of buildings with Majolica tiles in Taiwan’s main island. In Kinmen, owing to the early policy of limitation of construction sites on battlefields, and the island’s special geographical location, many buildings decorated with Majolica tiles have been preserved, providing a valuable historical record for the social and cultural development of the area.The scope of this research focuses on buildings with Majolica tiles found in Shueitou Village in Kinmen. Field work was conducted by the author through personal visits to Shueitou Village and close observation of the Majolica tiles found in the settlements. The tiles were compared to those found in Taiwan and analyzed to form an assessment of the use of Majolica tiles in Taiwan and Shueitou Village in Kinmen. The author has noted six differences from this study: The use of Majolica tiles in Kinmen could be traced to a later period than in Taiwan. The Majolica tiles used in Kinmen were mostly imported from Xiamen, while the ones used in Taiwan were directly imported from Japan. Many tiles found in Kinmen were Japan-manufactured Majolica tiles of the same pattern but a different color glaze. The sizes of tiles found in Kinmen were more consistent than those found in Taiwan. Large areas with tiles orderly arranged were often seen in Kinmen, but this practice was not commonly found in Taiwan. The practices of construction craftsmen in the two areas were also quite different. This detailed study of Majolica tiles found in Shueitou Village in Kinmen provides a summary of the usage and characteristics of these tiles.
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