Across the dangerous hills and rivers of Hengduan Mountain Range, in the wild lands and forests across the Rooftop of the World , a mysterious ancient road winds and wonders. It is one of the most heart quaking roads on this planet. For thousands of years, numerous caravans had been quietly traveling along it. Standing on the Road, you can still see clearly the some-70cm-deep holes in the stone plates by stamping of horse hooves. And it seems they have numerous stories to tell. The aged Mhanee altars on roadside are engraved with all sorts of religious scriptures and mottos. This, is the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, one of the world s highest and most precipitous ancient roads which carries and spreads civilization and culture.
In the vast landscape of southwestern China winds a long ancient mysterious civilized road similar to the well-known Silk Road that is the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. The road is a trade path between Tibet, Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces. The trade is mainly conducted between Tibet's horses and Sichuan and Yunnan's tea by means of horses, hence the name of the road. The trade also involves Tibetan wool, skins, medicines, minerals and other local products and inner land's cloths, brocades, ironware and other articles used for daily use. This road has been in use since the ancient West Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD) and was developed in the later dynasties. During the World War II, it became the only way for communication between China and other countries. The road links Tibet with Sichuan, Yunnan and Qinghai, and extends to Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal and India until it reaches West Asia and West Africa's Red Sea. It consists of three routes: Qinghai-Tibet Route, Sichuan-Tibet Route and Yunnan-Tibet Route in China.
The Ancient Tea-Horse Road is a commercial passage mainly for tea-horse trading between the inner land and Tibet. In the history, The Ancient Tea-Horse Road was almost across the entire Chamdo area. Where state motor way No. 214 on Yunnan-Tibet line, state motor way No.317, 318 on Sichuan-Tibet line and provincial motor way No. 303 stand now used to be the main routes of The Ancient Tea-Horse Road.
In the old times, the little passage between Chamdo and the outside world was formed by long-time stamping of people and stocks.
In the 7th Century, Tubo emerged in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. They built an iron bridge which connected Yunnan and Tibet on the Jinsha River over the board of China and Myanmar
In Song Dynasty, due to the fact that all borders were lost and no trade was possible, main market for the tea-horse trading moved to southwest China.
In Yuan Dynasty, the government prompted building post roads and setting up post stations.
Along the ancient road lived more than 20 minorities.
Concentrations of beautiful and mysterious natural landscapes and traditional cultures developed in various sites, including Dali old city, Lijiang old city, Shangrila, Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon, Potala Palace. The road features temples, rock paintings, post houses, ancient bridges and plank roads. It is also home to many national minorities and their dances and folk customs.
Towards the end of the 2nd World War, the Ancient Tea-Horse Road had become the main international commercial route in the big southwest rear area.
The Ancient Tea-Horse Road has three major routes: Qinghai-Tibet (Tangzhu Ancient Road), Yunnan-Tibet, and Sichuan-Tibet.
The Yunnan-Tibet route occurred in Tang Dynasty. It basically overlaps the Yunnan-Tibet motor way today: starting from Dali of Yunnan, heading all the way to the north through Jianchuan, Lijiang, Iron-Bridge Town. Then along the river, going to Yulai via Benzilan, then Yanjing and follow the Lancang River to Maergan (today called Markam, Tibet). When reaching Zuogong, it split into two lines heading for Tibet, one goes to Masu Bangdag Chaya and Chamdo; the other Basu, Bome ,Nyingzhi and finally Lhasa.
Yunnan-Tibet route used to have three lines: a) begins at Tacheng of Heli, Neijiang, via Bengzilan, Adeqiu, Tianzhuzhai, Maofagong, ends in Tibet; b)begins from Weixi of Baijianchuan, then joins line a at Adeqiu, ends in Tibet; c)begins in Zhongdian, via Niseluo, Xiandao, Bengyulan, Nulianduo, Abulaka, ends in Tibet. It s very close to the Yunnan-Tibet national highway today.
After 1957, Chinese government built Yunnan-Tibet and Zhong-Xiang motor ways. Materials and commodities have been transported to Tibet. That ended the out-of-date way of carrying cargos by man and horses on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road.
The Ancient Tea-Horse Road is an important thread of natural and cultural tourism in Chamdo area. Natural wonders, civilization heritage, marks of ancient ethnic customs and countless romantic stories are spread along the Road. It is a sediment of history which contains traces of people s activities over thousands of years and their persistence to life.
The Ancient Tea-Horse Road stretches through the ethnic corridor area across Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, Qinghai and Tibet. This area is the place where many ethnic groups have been living and multiplying, also a big platform on which they have put on comedies and tragedies in the history. It is a cultural treasury for ever-lasting exploration and for us to spend our thoughts on.
Traveling along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road is a trip to return to the nature, a trip of the harmony between men and the nature, a trip of spiritual neutralization for urban people, and a trip of adventure and discovery.
The tourist development for the Ancient Tea-Horse Road is a comprehensive one. Priorities are given to the construction of infrastructure, such as transportation facilities, hotels to provide proper food and accommodation, guaranteed electricity and water supply and safety. Meanwhile, much effort will be put into developing tourist products so as to fuel the growth of other industries and to activate Chamdo economy.
In Chamdo area, there are sceneries like Three-Rivers-Join-Into-One , high mountains and valleys, holy mountains and sacred waters, thermal resources and hot springs, grazing lands covered by wild flowers, tents emitting cooking smoke; so are there ancient religious ceremonies, Lamaist temples and towers, old religious engravings on mountains, ancient giant wall-paintings, and colorful local conditions and customs. All these are rich natural and cultural tourist resources.
With thousands of years of history behind it, the tea-horse ancient road -- like a big corridor connecting various nationalities -- has developed the local economy, stimulated the commodity markets in communities, and promoted the development of border trade as well. It has promoted agriculture and the raising of animals while at the same time providing a source of enjoyment for local art, religion, culture, and ideologies. It has helped many in the nation obtain unprecedented prosperity and development.
Important Towns along the Tea-horse Ancient Road
Puer -- hometown of Puer tea with a long history.
Xiaguan ( Dali)-a main processing and collection center for tea .
Jianchuan-bazaar on the tea and horse ancient road.
Shaxi Sideng: the only surviving bazaar.
Lijiang-the most famous distribution center on the road.
Deqin-The last road station within the boundaries of Yunnan