To provide a variable valve mechanism of an engine which includes a mechanism contributing to prevention of contact between a piston and an engine valve while containing a maximum valve lift amount variable mechanism for changing the maximum valve lift amount through the medium of movement of a control shaft and a valve timing variable mechanism for changing valve timing through the medium of adjustment of supply amount of working fluid.

In the variable valve mechanism, a control shaft 32 and an oil passage for an advanced angle are associated so as to maintain a state in which the oil passage for an advanced angle (third supply pipe R3) is closed by the control shaft 32 when the maximum valve lift amount of an intake valve is a reference lift amount or more. When an advanced angle quantity of the intake valve is a reference advanced angle quantity or more, the oil passage for an advanced angle and the shaft 32 are associated so that a moving range of the shaft 32 is restricted to a range conforming from the minimum value in the maximum valve lift amount to a lift quantity immediately before the reference lift amount through the medium of working fluid passing through the oil passage for an advanced angle.