[Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Over 20 visitors from multiple countries recently toured Baoguo Temple in Ningbo, immersing themselves in the traditional Chinese wooden architecture and centuries-old craftsmanship.

Founded during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), Baoguo Temple is renowned for its main hall, one of the oldest and best-preserved wooden structures in Jiangnan — the region along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The hall's expansive roof is held together entirely by layered wooden brackets and mortise-and-tenon joints, without a single nail. Visitors were visibly impressed by the scale and precision of the construction, which has endured for over a millennium.

Zhang Luyi, a staff member at the Baoguosi Ancient Architecture Museum, noted that Dec 8 holds special significance, marking both Ningbo's Historical and Cultural City Protection Day and the anniversary of the museum's opening. Zhang explained that bringing international visitors to the temple highlights how traditional woodworking techniques were historically shared along the Maritime Silk Road.

During the visit, participants joined a hands-on mortise-and-tenon workshop, assembling wooden bracket models to experience the precision required in traditional construction.

Ilalene Asma, a Moroccan architecture student at Ningbo University, said she was amazed that the wooden structure had survived centuries of weather. Zainab Bibi, a Pakistani student, remarked that she admired how Chinese wooden buildings combine aesthetics with safety.

Yao Ying, an associate professor from Ningbo University, discussed differences between Western masonry and Chinese wooden architecture, explaining how local climate, abundant forests, and agricultural society shaped the preference for timber and influenced neighboring regions.

The event, part of the Gojiang Club series, aims to foster cross-cultural dialogue and give international visitors direct insight into Chinese architectural heritage.