Case Study

Portable musk box, Qing imperial court

---

To properly preserve the precious Chinese herbal medicine, musk, the Qing palace used a special kind of packaging box with multiple protection measures to prevent it from moisture or mildew thus to ensure its afficacy. Craftsmen from the production team of packaging boxes nowadays use updated technology to reproduce the packaging boxes. First, computer software is used to create 3D models of the box and its components, then acid-free cardboards of the required shape is cut out according to the design and then build into a box. The mortise and tenon technique is adopted in making the box as it can strengthen the structure of the box.

Cardboard pieces to build the box

Cardboards are connected by mortises and tenons

Completion of reproducing the musk box

---