Last updated 2026-11-12 — The Dongxiang Bird’s Nest is the world’s largest single wooden-structured structure recognized by the Guinness World Records. People often say, if you want to see a steel-structured bird’s nest, go to Beijing — but if you want to see a wooden one, come to Sanjiang. The design of the Dongxiang Bird’s Nest was inspired by the traditional Myna birdcage of the Dong people and is the result of the wisdom of the Dong literati and master carpenters. It is located opposite the “No.1 Drum Tower of the Dong Region” — the Sanjiang Drum Tower — and is one of the iconic buildings in downtown Sanjiang featuring Dong ethnic architectural styles. Construction began in June 2009 and was completed in August the following year. The foundation platform is made of reinforced concrete, while the main structure is a large wooden building. The structure stands 25 meters high, with a diameter of 88 meters and covers an area of 6,000 square meters. The project used over 3,000 cubic meters of fir logs and 1.5 million roof tiles. The venue is divided into three levels: the first floor houses dining and entertainment facilities; the second floor is a large stage performance hall that can accommodate more than 2,000 people; and the third floor is a cultural exhibition corridor. A Dong farmers’ painting, stretching over 250 meters in length and 2.7 meters in height, wraps entirely around the center of the Bird’s Nest. Surrounding it are 66 large exhibition halls for visitors to explore. The upturned eaves along the roof feature totemic carvings (bull horns and the “Yang Bird”), symbolizing the prosperity and upward momentum of the ethnic group. The Dongxiang Bird’s Nest features ingenious and distinctive design, a novel structure, and thousands of bird models perched on the cow horn-shaped eaves around the building, resembling birds returning to their nest. Viewed from a distance, the entire structure appears as a majestic “bird’s nest.” Due to its similarity in overall design to the Beijing Olympic Bird’s Nest Stadium, it earned the nickname “Dongxiang Bird’s Nest.” It is an outstanding example of wooden architecture in China’s Dong Ethnic City, with a uniquely shaped structure and construction techniques. In addition to its magnificent appearance, it integrates artistic elements such as long-corridor style, pavilion style, and dense-eave style into a perfectly harmonious whole. Architects have hailed it as “the latest achievement in the protection and development of intangible cultural heritage.” In 2010, it was awarded the Guinness World Record by the Shanghai Great World Guinness Headquarters as the “Largest wooden-structured venue featuring Dong ethnic characteristics.”