The programme started with two lectures conducted by Dr Jing Xie, UNNC Associate Professor in Architecture and Built Environment, and Dr Lala Zuo, Associate Professor of Art History, NYU Shanghai, unpacking the structural and aesthetic principles behind Zaojing—the ornate ceiling structures found in historic buildings. 

Participants then visited the Qing’an Guild Hall, a 19th-century merchant complex and national heritage site, where restoration master Mr Shichun Wang guided them through restricted conservation zones. Amid scaffolding, students observed intricate Zhu-Jin wood carvings and discovered a hidden 1999 restoration signature etched discreetly into a stone tablet. This tangible link to past craftsmen underscored the human dimension of cultural preservation.

The second day of the research camp shifted to material craftsmanship. Under the guidance of Mr Shichun Wang, a provincial intangible heritage inheritor, the group learned timber selection at Ninghai’s bamboo and wood market before visiting Spiral Zaojing in Dongshan Village in Ninghai County. 

"The Zaojing is the stage’s heart, and the stage is the ancestral hall’s heart," Wang explained, demonstrating how these wooden marvels—assembled without nails—embody both structural ingenuity and communal symbolism. Tengyue Zhang, UNNC PhD candidate then led hands-on workshops with traditional tools like ink markers and planes, allowing participants to experience the precision of mortise-and-tenon joinery firsthand.

The final day merged tradition with technology. UNNC PhD candidate Ray Zhang conducted a workshop about 3D scanning and modeling. A CNC machining demonstration by instructor Jason Wang highlighted the stark contrasts—and potential synergies—between manual craftsmanship and digital fabrication. While automated tools offered speed and precision, their unforgiving nature sparked discussions on balancing efficiency with artisanal values in heritage conservation.

The camp concluded with a certificate ceremony presided over by Yizhe Cui, a UNNC doctoral researcher and the project coordinator. Ms Lei He, UNNC Director of Development and Alumni Relations conferred the certificate. Distinct participants will continue the work in the Zaojing digitalise project, transforming scans into modular teaching tools reminiscent of architectural Lego.

As a leader in cultural heritage innovation, the UNNC Digital Humanities Lab has successfully conducted many historic building preservation projects, including digitalising Museum of Zhejiang Old Custom House, Zaojing modeling and Ningbo History Digital Humanities Platform Project. This camp exemplified their methodology: marrying scholarly rigor, technological experimentation, and community engagement to ensure ancient craftsmanship thrives in the digital age. When students handle both chisels and 3D printers, they don’t just preserve history—they rewrite its future.