边鸾，长安（今西安）人，官右卫长史。削足适履攻丹青，最长于花鸟，折枝草木，亦精蜂蝶之妙未之有。下笔轻利，用色鲜明，穷羽毛之变态，夺花卉之芳妍。贞元（七八五至八○五）中新罗国献孔雀解舞者，德宗诏于玄武殿写貌。一正一背，翠彩生动，金羽浑灼，若连清声，宛应繁节。后因出宦，遂致疏放其意，因穷于泽潞间，写玉芝图，连根苗之状精极。凡草木雀蝉蜂蝶，并居妙品。尝画资圣寺围塔上四面花鸟。当药上菩萨顶戎葵尤佳。又作牡丹图，其睛为人畜大小六、七相戏状，推鸾绝笔。事见《广川画跋》、《唐朝名画录》、《历代名画记》、《京洛寺塔记》、《宣和画谱》、《画史》。
边鸾在花鸟画独立成科的过程中起到重要作用。传世作品有《梅花山茶雪雀图》，图录于《唐宋元明名画大观》。
史记记载《太平广记·卷第二百一十三·画四》·边鸾传
唐边鸾，京兆人。攻丹青，最长于花鸟折枝之妙，古所未有。观其下笔轻利，善用色。穷羽毛之变态，奋春华之芳丽。贞元中，新罗国献孔雀，解舞。德宗召于玄武门写貌。一正一背。翠彩生动，金钿遗妍。若运清声，宛应繁节。后以困穷，于泽潞貌五参连根，精妙之极也。近代折枝花，居其首也。折枝花卉蜂蝶并雀等，妙品上。（出《画断》）
译文：唐朝边鸾，是京都长安人。边鸾能画画，最擅长画花鸟折枝（按：花卉画法之一，不画全株，只画连枝折下的部分）。这种画法，是从来未有过的。你看边鸾下笔轻松利落，善用颜色，能得心应手地表现鸟雀羽毛的万态变化，春花绽放的千种姿容。唐德宗贞元年间，新罗国进献来一对孔雀，能舞，皇上宣召边鸾在玄武门画孔雀。一只孔雀画的是正面，一只画的是侧背。翠绿的孔雀羽毛灿烂生辉，孔雀的尾羽仿佛是一只只华美的金、翠首饰。两只孔雀象在轻声鸣唱，又象在用礼仪迎接贵宾的到来。边鸾后来生活困顿穷苦，曾在潞水岸边的沼泽地带将五棵长在一起的人参画在画上，画得好极了。在近代折枝画法中，边鸾位居魁首。边鸾的折枝花卉蜂蝶鸟雀画，都堪称在妙品以上。

Bian Luan, chang'an (today Xi'an) person, guan Youwei is long history. Act in a Procrustean way attacks painting, the longest at painting of flowers and birds in traditional Chinese style, fold branch wood, yi Jingfeng butterfly clever not have. Small profit of begin to write or paint, coloring is bright, the allergy of poor feather, seize the fragrant beautiful of flowers. Chastity yuan (785 to eight) in the person that peacock of new Luo Guoxian solves dance, de Zongzhao keeps appearance at Xuan Wudian. Carrying on the back, emerald green colour is vivid, bright of golden feather muddy, if connect clear sound, wan Yingfan section. Hind because give official, send then scanty put its idea, because of poor Yu Zelu, write Yu Zhi to pursue, the record fine that joins source extremely. Bee of cicada of every wood sparrow butterfly, reside fine quality goods. Taste temple of picture endowment emperor to surround painting of flowers and birds in traditional Chinese style of all sides on the tower. Carry beautiful of Rong Kui blame on the head when the Bodhisattva on medicine. Make peony plan again, size of cultivate of its eyeball humanness 6, shape of 7 photographs play, promote last words written before death of a mythical bird like the phoenix. The thing sees " An Chuan draws postscript " , " renown picture records Tang Chao " , " picture of past dynasties name is written down " , " Luo Si tower writes down Beijing " , " announce and a book on the art of drawing or painting " , " picture history " .
Bian Luan becomes independent in picture of painting of flowers and birds in traditional Chinese style main effect has in the process of the division. Work of be handed down from ancient times has " wintersweet camellia snow finch pursues " ,
History note record " peace and tranquility is wide write down · to coil the 213rd · is drawn 4 " · Bian Luan is passed
Tang Bianluan, jing Zhaoren. Attack painting, the longest what fold a branch at painting of flowers and birds in traditional Chinese style is clever, ancient place is had no. Watch small profit of its begin to write or paint, coloring of be apt to. The allergy of poor feather, hua Zhifang of act vigorously spring beautiful. Chastity yuan in, peacock of new Luo Guoxian, solve dance. De Zongshao keeps appearance at door of incredible connecting with the boxing skill. Carrying on the back. Emerald green colour is vivid, involuntary discharge of urine of golden coin or money beautifuls. Be like fortune clear reputation, wan Yingfan section. Hind in order to strand end, at lustre Lu appearance 5 ginseng connect a root, essence of life is wonderful extremely also. Latter-day She Zhihua, house its head also. Bee of the flowers that fold a branch butterfly and sparrow, on fine quality goods.
Translation: A mythical bird like the phoenix side Tang Chao, it is Kyoto Chang'an person. Bian Luan can be drawn, most be good at drawing painting of flowers and birds in traditional Chinese style to fold a branch (by: One of flowers brushwork, do not draw entire individual plant, the share that draws Lian Zhishe to fall only) . This kind of brushwork, had had no. You see Bian Luan begin to write or paint is relaxed and agile, be apt to uses color, can the 10 thousand condition of feather of sparrow of bird of handy ground expression change, 1000 kinds of appearance that spring flower blossoms. Between the first year of an era or the reign of an emperor of Tang Dezong chastity, new Luo Guojin is displayed come a pair of peacocks, can dance, a mythical bird like the phoenix of edge of call together of the emperor announce draws a peacock in door of incredible connecting with the boxing skill. What a peacock draws is the front, what draw only is side back. Emerald green peacock feather is bright unripe brightness, the end of the peacock feather asing if is an only colorful gold, emerald green headgear. Two peacocks elephant is in light tone sang, resemble again using formal the advent that salutes honoured guest. Bian Luan gives birth to poverty-stricken of vivid tired out later, the ginseng picture that the fenny region of bank of Ceng Zailu water grows 5 together is on the picture, be drawn extremely well. In the latter-day brushwork that fold a branch, bian Luan ranks ringleader. Butterfly bird sparrow draws bee of the flowers that fold a branch, can says to be in above of fine quality goods.