Jiaozhu is a broad term referring to any pillar placed at the corner of a building. Usually, corner pillars refer to eaves pillars located at the corners of a timber frame structure. In Chapter 5 of the
Yingzao fashi (1103), corner pillars are discussed in conjunction with pingzhu 平柱 (leveling pillars) in calculations of the changes in height necessary to achieve the appropriate upward curvature of the eaves toward the corners. In the Song dynasty Yingzao fashi as well as the Qing dynasty Digong zuofa and Gongcheng zuofa (1734), the term can also refer to short pillars located at the corners of a foundation (taiji 臺基), which were usually made of stone.
角柱,即位於角部的柱的泛稱。通常指建築物外檐角部的柱。 在《
營造法式》(1103)卷五,大木作部分的角柱與平柱一起,用於通过生起确定屋檐的曲线。 在宋《營造法式》和清《地宮作法》, 《工程做法》 中,角柱也指臺基角部的短石柱。