Discover Shi Shanzhang, a Dong master who builds wooden houses without drawings or nails, preserving centuries-old architecture and cultural heritage.
In Gaobei Village, Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, Guangxi, a three-storey wooden house rises quietly among the hills. The smell of fresh pine fills the air, and the steady sound of axe and chisel echoes from the building.
Inside, 76-year-old Shi Shanzhang, a Dong master builder known as a Zhang Mo Shi—the chief craftsman in traditional house construction—is bent over a beam. His white hair and beard contrast with hands hardened by decades of work.
“This house is my gift to my descendants,” Shi says. He starts work at 7 a.m. every day, determined to finish quickly.
Crafting from Memory
The house covers 1,200 square metres and features a three-storey, twin-tower design. What makes it remarkable is that Shi never used a single nail or drew a design on paper. Every wooden piece fits perfectly with the others through mortise-and-tenon joints. Thousands of pieces join seamlessly.
Shi does not rely on blueprints. The structure, measurements, and joint positions all exist in his mind. On site, he marks the wood with traditional tools such as chalk lines, measuring rods, axes, and chisels. His apprentices follow the marks with exact precision.
The Dong people have been building this way for centuries. Their wooden architecture relies on mortise-and-tenon joints, which allow wood to expand and contract naturally. This technique strengthens the structure over time and even provides some earthquake resistance. In 2006, Dong wooden architecture was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in China.
A Life Shaped by Fire and Wood
Shi Shanzhang learned carpentry as a child. At 27, he built his first house as chief craftsman. Over the decades, he has built more than 200 wooden houses in Gaobei and beyond. His skills have taken him to cities such as Guangzhou, Qingyuan, Heyuan, and Qingdao.
The village itself carries scars of history. In 1974, a fire destroyed more than 300 homes. Shi, then the only Zhang Mo Shi in the village, had to rebuild the houses himself. He learned by observing other carpenters and mentally assembling the houses like building blocks. “No one taught me. I had to figure it out myself,” he recalls.
Today, Shi continues to teach apprentices. He also visits schools to show children the secrets of mortise-and-tenon joinery. His work has attracted attention online, with videos shared by his son going viral. Shi has become a kind of “celebrity craftsman,” often praised as a modern-day Lu Ban, the legendary Chinese carpenter.
Preserving Heritage
Despite the fame, Shi remains focused on his craft. He works daily, polishing each piece of wood. His goal is simple: to pass on the knowledge.
“If people see the old skills, that is already a blessing,” he says. Shi hopes young people will learn and appreciate the Dong wooden architecture. The house he is building now is more than just a home; it is where his family’s story continues, and where they will always feel a sense of belonging.
Additional reporting by CNS, HKCNA.
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