In　order　to　protect　Chinese　ancient　building,　steel　components　were　considered　to　strengthen　its　tenon-mortise　joints　and　the　strengthening　effects　were　studied　by　shaking　table　tests.　Based　on　actual　sizes　of　an　ancient　building,　a　wooden　frame　model　with　a　scale　of　1:8　of　the　prototype　structure　was　built　considering　Yan-wei　type　of　tenon-mortise　connections.　Steel　components　were　used　to　strengthen　tenon-mortise　joints　of　the　model　to　enhance　its　stability.　By　white　noise　excitation　values　of　basic　frequency　for　model　in　both　strengthened　and　unstrengthened　conditions　were　obtained;By　inputing　El-Centro　earthquake　waves　of　different　peak　acceleration　values,　responses　of　displacement　and　acceleration　for　typical　nodes　of　the　model　were　obtained.　Results　show　that　after　its　tenon-mortise　joints　are　strengthened　by　steel　components,　basic　frequency　of　the　model　increases;Under　earthquake　the　strengthened　model　responds　with　smaller　peak　displacement　and　acceleration　values;With　the　increase　of　earthquake　intensity,　the　steel　components　tend　to　perform　better.　Thus　the　steel　components　are　effective　for　strengthening　tenon-mortise　joints　of　Chinese　ancient　buildings.　©　(2012)　Trans　Tech　Publications,　Switzerland.