STORY: Italian amazed by traditional Chinese mortise and tenon technique
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Jan. 9, 2025
LENGTH: 0:04:42
LOCATION: SUZHOU, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
8. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
9. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
10. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
11. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
12. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
13. SOUNDBITE 7 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
14. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
15. SOUNDBITE 8 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"As we all know, Marco Polo's hometown, Venice, and Suzhou in China are sister cities. Would you like to experience the charm of Jiangnan gardens?
Today, I'm taking you to explore one of the most renowned architectural marvels: the Carved Building.
Known as the finest mansion in Jiangnan, this private garden was built over a century ago by more than 250 Xiangshan Guild craftsmen over three years.
You may not be familiar with the Xiangshan Guild, but you might have heard of the Forbidden City, Ming Dynasty imperial tombs, and the Suzhou Humble Administrator's Garden.
These magnificent architectural masterpieces are all crafted by the Xiangshan Guild.
Today, I'm visiting Xue Dong, an inheritor of the Xiangshan Guild's traditional architectural craftsmanship, to explore how this millennia-old legacy imprinted an indelible mark for Suzhou-style architecture in the history of Chinese architecture.
Hello, master Xue."

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
"Hello."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"I'm Alex, and I really want to learn how the Xiangshan Guild created such stunning buildings."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
"The Xiangshan Guild has a long history with eight major crafts and numerous unique techniques.
One distinctive feature of Xiangshan Guild's wood carving is the use of mortise and tenon joints instead of nails, to assemble wooden components into the framework of traditional Chinese architecture."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"Mortise and tenon joints are a hallmark of traditional woodworking. They join wooden pieces without glue, nails, or metal fasteners, yet the structures remain remarkably sturdy.
This reverence for the purity of wood embodies the Chinese philosophy of harmony between man and nature."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
"The tool he's using now is a plane, one of the traditional tools of the Xiangshan Guild, used to smooth wood surfaces.
Let's try cutting a mortise.
You'll need two tools: a chisel and a mallet.
Yes."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"I'm so afraid I'll hit my hand."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
"Be careful.
Watch both your mallet and chisel.
See? A piece has been removed."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"A piece has been removed."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
"The mortise must be cut precisely, not too big, or it will loosen, and not too small, or the tenon won't fit.
The tenon is the piece like this and the mortise is the slot.
By fitting them together, we create a stable wooden structure.
And there you go.
You've completed this piece."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"It's done.
The size fits perfectly, not too big, not too small."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
"It's a precise and meticulous technique because these joints are meant to last for centuries."

SOUNDBITE 7 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"Mortise and tenon, convex and concave, twist and turn.
Each element interlocks to form a cohesive structure where all parts fit seamlessly together.
Wow. This is really beautiful. See? This is how it's done.
The interplay between artisans and wood, with every deliberate motion, is a dialogue between man and nature in Chinese craftsmanship.
I am really impressed by their wisdom. It seems like such an easy job. But actually, when you do it, it is very difficult. It requires a lot of attention to the details."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): XUE DONG, Director of Design Institute, Suzhou Taihu Ancient Architecture and Garden Construction Co., Ltd.
"The Xiangshan Guild often chooses motifs with meaningful symbolism.
For instance, this design features a magpie above a plum blossom, symbolizing the idiom 'happiness perched on the branch,' representing joy and good fortune in Chinese."

SOUNDBITE 8 (English): ALESSANDRO MARTINI, Italian vlogger
"Whether it's the delicate representation of birds, flowers, fish, and insects, or the vivid depictions of classical stories, each carving reflects people's longing for a joyful life.
With ingenious creativity, master Xue has infused modern industrial concepts into the Xiangshan Guild's traditional craftsmanship.
Empowered by technology and machinery, this ancient art has been revitalized.
An increasing number of young architects are learning and inheriting the Xiangshan Guild's time-honored techniques, drawing inspiration from their predecessors' wisdom to preserve this legacy.
Through every brick and beam, they carry forward the timeless charm of ancient architecture, allowing us to have a glimpse of the ingenuity and dedication of Chinese craftsmen from a thousand years ago.
In ancient China, wood has always had an important place in the history of architecture.
Both the mortise and tenon technique or the wood carvings can prove to us the outstanding skill and wisdom of Chinese artisans.
Since ancient times, the Xiangshan Guild's artistic technique has always been representing Chinese cultural understanding.
The inspiration for their work comes from a long tradition of Chinese history and culture, which nowadays is still providing us with a brand new look, making its beauty to get known by the whole world."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Suzhou, China.
(XHTV)