In order to study the effect of building envelope structures on the structural performance of traditional timber building in the Yangtze River region and to provide the calculation basis of the seismic performance and wind-resistant performance of this type of buildings, Jindai Building，a typical traditional timber building in the Yangtze River region，was taken as an example, and the model updating methods of this building were studied by the methods of finite element analysis and structural dynamical characteristic tests. First, by using finite element software SAP2000, the structural model without consideration of building envelope effects and the three structural models considering building envelope effects were established to analyze their dynamical characteristics. Then, the structural dynamical characteristic test was carried out on site. By comparing the results of the finite element methods and the dynamical characteristic test, some important results can be drawn as follows: in terms of natural vibration frequency, the results of these three updating models considering building envelope effects are obviously higher than that of the model without consideration of building envelope effects. The increment of the equivalent diagonal strut model is 220%～307%, the increment of the equivalent diagonal strut and shell element model is 228%～345%, and the increment of the integral simplified model is 230%～295%, but the first mode shape and second mode shape of this updating model are changed. The results of the equivalent diagonal strut model are very close to the results of the dynamical tests, and the error is smaller than 15%. Therefore, the equivalent diagonal strut model is the best updating model for this building. The results of the equivalent diagonal strut and shell element model are also close to the results of the dynamical tests, and the error is smaller than 20%. Thus, the equivalent diagonal strut and shell element model is the second-best updating model for this building. The results of the simplified model are obviously different from the results of the dynamical tests, so that the integral simplified model is not suitable for the model updating of this building. Finally, the equivalent diagonal strut model is recommended to study the structural performance of this type of traditional timber buildings whose envelopes have no cracks, for example, the condition of environment vibration, wind-induced vibration，and frequently occurred earthquake. The structural model without consideration of building envelope effects is recommended to study the structural performance of this type of traditional timber buildings whose envelopes are failed, for example, the condition of design earthquake or rarely occurred earthquake.