Tenon and Mortise 01 – The Soul Embedded in Wood

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Dongmiao – the soul embedded in wood. Dongmiao was the primary structural method used in ancient Chinese architecture, furniture, and other devices; it involves joining two components together by using interlocking male and female fittings. The protruding part is called a tenon (or tenon head) ； The recessed part is called a mortise (or tenon hole, tenon groove). China’s **dou-gong technique, which connects various components together, is the main structural method used in furniture design. Different mortise-and-tenon techniques exist, with varying applications, but they all serve as the “joints” that define the structural shape of each piece of furniture. If mortise and tenon joints are used properly, two wooden structures can fit together tightly, achieving a seamless connection. It was a basic skill that ancient carpenters had to possess; the quality of a craftsman’s work could be clearly reflected through the joinery structure. There are dozens of different types of \"mortise and tenon\" joints, which can be classified into three main categories based on their functional purpose: one type is primarily used for joining surfaces together, another for connecting two edges, and yet another for the intersection of a surface and an edge. Such as “notched tenon,” “embossed tenon,” “dovetail tenon,” “slotted tenon,” “stapled tenon,” etc. Another category is the structural approach as a “point”. It is mainly used for T-joint connections of vertical and horizontal members, angled joints, cross joints, as well as extended connections of straight and curved members. Such as “shoulder tenon,” “double tenon,” “double clamp tenon,” “hook tenon,” “dowel tenon,” “half tenon,” “through tenon,” and so on. There is also another category of construction methods that involve combining three components and connecting them to each other; aside from using some of the joint structures mentioned above, these methods involve more complex and specialized approaches. Common types include \"corner tenon,\" \"long and short tenon,\" \"shoulder tenon,\" and \"zongjiao tenon,\" among others.