I have long admired the artistry of the Chinese roof and other tiles. Here is some detail both in the making of the tiles as well as their setting into a roof. You can see that there are usually specialty tiles (the dragon head above) in places of prominence such as the ends of ridges, corners, etc. Further, there is great detail in the more widely-used tiles such as the field tiles above with their full three-dimensional fabrication and designs impressed on the ends. The waterproofing of the structure is assured with the interlocking of the ridge and trough design of the tiles.

The colors are brilliant and often set in contrasting pattern with each other or the surrounding construction materials.