The 2026 Library Cultural Carnival returns. This year, we turn our attention to a craft that has endured for seven thousand years — mortise and tenon. One piece convex, one concave, without a single nail or drop of glue, they have held up halls and towers, a testament to the Chinese genius for building. Centered on this joinery and ancient craftsmanship, the Library presents the 2026 Cultural Carnival series. Faculty, staff and students are warmly invited to experience traditional craft through exhibitions, hands-on activities, and reading.
Event 1
Chinese Wisdom in Mortise and Tenon: From Stilt Houses to the Golden Steed
Time: Nov 10 – Dec 10 | Venue: 1st Floor, Library
Seven thousand years ago, the Hemudu people drove the first mortise wedge into their stilt houses. From palaces to everyday carts, boats, wells and mills, mortise and tenon formed the backbone of Chinese woodwork and shaped a philosophy of making: in harmony with nature, ingenuity concealed in simplicity. This exhibition introduces the craft and its modern extensions, and features an all-mortise-and-tenon metal horse, a beacon tower, and other artworks. May you discover, between tenon and mortise, a wisdom that has never come loose in seven thousand years.
Event 2
From Pieces to Perfection: Mortise-and-Tenon Assembly Workshop
Time: TBA | Venue: Multi-function Hall, 1st Floor
Guest: Chang Dexin, creator of the all-mortise-and-tenon stainless steel horse series
Mr. Chang will demonstrate how to assemble the mortise-and-tenon horse and show how this ancient craft serves modern art. Participants can assemble a horse by hand, build dougong bracket and arch bridge models, and play touhu (pitch-pot) — feeling the wisdom of woodworking in every joint that locks.
Event 3
Paper and Ink, the Craft Passed On: Traditional Skills Experience
- Thread and Page: Thread-Bound Book Making
Thread binding, the most common format of ancient Chinese books, prevailed after the mid-Ming dynasty. Participants will sew the four-eye binding, attach the title slip, and complete a thread-bound book to take home — experiencing the beauty of "thread woven through page." - Ink Impressions in Stone: Stone Rubbing Experience
Rubbing, the traditional craft of reproducing inscriptions and ornament from steles and carved stones with paper and ink, has a history of over a thousand years in China. Try it on site; finished rubbings can be framed and kept.
Time: Nov 19, 14:00–16:00 (registration details to follow) | Venue: Multi-function Hall, 1st Floor
Event 4
Between Tenon and Mortise: Book Display on Eastern Structural Wisdom
Time: Nov – Dec | Venue: Library Atrium
From the wooden wedge of seven thousand years ago to the joints on today's design desks — to understand wood is to understand Chinese making. This display features dozens of titles on architectural history, woodworking, classical furniture, and contemporary mortise-and-tenon design: grand volumes of ancient architecture, warm voices of master carpenters, and architects' reflections on modernity through the joint.
Event 5
Step into the Craftsman's World: "Lu Ban's Secret Realm" VR Experience
Time: Nov 25–26 | Venue: Multi-function Hall, 1st Floor
Li Xiang, a young architect worn down by setbacks, accidentally enters an ink-painting wonderland while fiddling with a Lu Ban lock… Put on the headset and experience the wisdom of ancient craftsmen.
Sessions: 4 daily, 3 persons per session, 30 minutes each.
Morning: 12:00, 12:40; Afternoon: 15:00, 15:40.
Booking: on-site, or call 0571-87572288.
Tip: Please arrive 10 minutes early to familiarize yourself with the VR equipment.
Event 6
Wisdom at Your Fingertips: Lu Ban Lock Pop-up Challenge
Time: Nov 12 – Dec 10 | Venue: Library Atrium
Unlock any set of Lu Ban locks within 3 minutes and take home a mortise-and-tenon souvenir (limited stock). A live leaderboard refreshes the fastest record — come and break it. Whether you are new to the joint or a seasoned hand, the challenge desk awaits.
Event 7
Painted Structures: Wooden Worlds in Classical Chinese Paintings
Time: Nov – Dec | Venue: BookBite Bay
Rafters and brackets fall into the brush; pavilions and terraces hide within the scroll. Long before the camera, classical paintings were the key visual record of Chinese architecture. Drawn from the finest ruled-line paintings (jiehua) in the Grand Compendium of Chinese Paintings through the Ages, this exhibition follows the thread of mortise and tenon, focusing on double-eaved roofs, balustraded platforms, dougong brackets and stone bases, and covering timber structures from buildings to boats. Through silk and ink, feel the Eastern philosophy of building locked in every joint.
Library
November 12, 2026