The Ancient Tea Horse Road

📍 Lijiang · 👁 8458 reads · ❤️ 25 likes

Traveling through Yunnan in winter, from Nujiang, Shangri-La, Lijiang, Pu'er to Xishuangbanna, I have hiked the Ancient Tea Horse Road several times. Previously, when visiting Sichuan, Shaanxi, Qinghai, and Tibet, I also passed through sections of it. As an ancient transportation route, every step on the Tea Horse Road evokes deep feelings. As a tourist attraction and cultural symbol, although I haven't traveled its entire length, it has left a profound and unforgettable impression.

The Ancient Tea Horse Road originated from the tea-horse trade between the Tang and Song dynasties. The Kang-Tibet region is a high-altitude cold area where Tibetans need meat to withstand the harsh climate. A meat-based diet without fruits and vegetables leads to indigestion and over time a deficiency in vitamins. Princess Wencheng brought the custom of tea drinking to Tibet, which to some extent compensated for this deficiency. Tubo (Tibet) had horses, furs, and medicinal herbs but no tea, while the interior had tea, cloth, salt, etc., but lacked good horses. This demand relationship gave rise to the tea-horse trade.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, the main route for tea from the interior to Tibet was the Qinghai-Tibet route. From the Tang dynasty, tea from areas like Mianyang, Shuzhou, and Qiongzhou in Sichuan began to flow into Tibet, marking the beginning of tea drinking among Tibetans and establishing a tea-transport route to Tibet. In the Tang dynasty, the Qinghai-Tibet route was the main thoroughfare between Tibet and the Central Plains, used for diplomatic missions, marriage alliances, and Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet, all passing through Qinghai.

With the collapse of the Tubo kingdom, the Tibetan region was fragmented during the Song dynasty, and the Qinghai-Tibet route lost its military and official functions. After tea was introduced to Tibet, its ability to aid digestion and cut grease made tea-drinking popular among the pastoral peoples who subsisted on meat and dairy. Various northwestern groups sold horses to buy tea, and the Song dynasty, needing warhorses, decided to conduct tea-horse trade in the northwest. It stipulated that Mingshan tea could only be used for horse purchases, thus transforming the Qinghai-Tibet route from a military-political road to a tea route.

From the Ming dynasty, the Sichuan-Tibet tea route formally took shape. The Ming court received Tibetan tribute missions in Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, and Ming envoys entered Tibet via these provinces. Most tea sent to Tibet, except for the "tribute horse" tea to Gansu and Qinghai, was shipped from Liya (in Sichuan) to Tibetan areas, with tea-horse offices set up in Yazhou and Diaomen. Tibetan monastic leaders mainly sought tea through their tribute missions to the Ming court, so they also used the Sichuan-Tibet route. Thus, the Sichuan-Tibet tea route, forged by tea trade, became an official route, supplanting the Qinghai-Tibet route.

In the Qing dynasty, the central government strengthened its control over Kham and Tibet, eased restrictions on tea exports to Tibet, and the Sichuan-Tibet tea route flourished. During the Ming and Qing periods, two main routes developed: the "Small Road Tea Route" from Ya'an, Tianquan over Ma'an Mountain, Luding to Kangding, and the "Big Road Tea Route" from Ya'an, Yingjing over Daxiang Ridge, Feiyue Ridge, Luding to Kangding. From Kangding, the southern route went via Yajiang, Litang, Batang, Jiangka, Chaya, Chamdo to Lhasa, while the northern route went via Qianning, Daofu, Luhuo, Ganzi, Dege crossing the Jinsha River to Chamdo, converging with the southern route to Lhasa. This tea route from Ya'an to Kangding and then to Lhasa was the Sichuan-Tibet route in Ming-Qing times and remains so today.

Besides the Qinghai-Tibet and Sichuan-Tibet routes, the Ancient Tea Horse Road also has a Yunnan-Tibet route. Historical records indicate that Tubo originally obtained tea from the Tang dynasty. During the Kaiyuan and Tianbao reigns of Emperor Xuanzong, Tang-Tibet relations were tense. Xuanzong, fond of grand exploits, suffered several major defeats in wars with Tubo, so he banned tea exports to Tibet to pressure them. Tubo, not yielding, successfully allied with Nanzhao in Yunnan, obtaining large quantities of tea from there to meet their needs.

The route between Nanzhao and Tubo roughly followed today's Yunnan-Tibet Highway: starting from Dali in Yunnan, heading north to Jianchuan, Lijiang, crossing the Iron Bridge City and continuing north along the river, passing Benzilan to Yulai and Yanjing, then north along the Lancang River to Magan (Mangkam in Tibet) and Zuogong, then splitting into two routes to Tibet: one via Basu, Bangda, Chaya to Chamdo, and the other directly via Basu, Bangda to Bomi, through Nyingchi to Lhasa. Since Yiwu in Xishuangbanna and Pu'er are the main tea-producing areas in Yunnan, the Yunnan-Tibet route extended down to Pu'er and Xishuangbanna.

The Ancient Tea Horse Road is an ancient trade route linking Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. Because the goods transported consisted mainly of tea via horse caravans, it was later named the Ancient Tea Horse Road. According to expert research, it emerged in the Tang and Song dynasties, flourished in the Ming and Qing, peaked in the Republican period, and declined in the 1950s.

This ancient civilization transmission route, arguably the highest in the world, mostly extends over regions at 2,000–3,000 meters or even over 6,000 meters, spanning more than ten degrees of latitude and twenty degrees of longitude. It crosses the two highest plateaus in China—the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau—and traverses the Ailao Mountains, Wuliang Mountains, Hengduan Mountains, and the Himalayas, crossing the Jinsha, Lancang, Nujiang, Yalong, and Yarlung Tsangpo rivers, finally descending into the South Asian subcontinent.

Tea consumption among Kham and Tibetans is arguably the highest in the world. They have tea with every meal, without which they cannot do. Past dynasties exploited this Tibetan addiction to tea to implement a "ruling the border with tea" policy, thereby strengthening ties between Tibet and other border regions with the central government. The millennium-old Tea Horse Road not only promoted the formation of many towns and economic development along the route in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet, but also integrated political, economic, and cultural interactions among various ethnic groups in the southwest, enhancing the stability and consolidation of the southwestern frontier. It left behind unique, profound, and unparalleled tourism resources.

On December 13, I visited Dukezong Ancient Town, a Tibetan residential community with over 1,300 years of history. The roads in the old town radiate from the center at Big Turtle Mountain like an eight-petal lotus flower, matching the beautiful "Shambhala" concept in Buddhist legends. On the uneven stone-paved roads, deep hoof prints remain—relics left by caravans of the past. For the horse caravans crossing the Ancient Tea Horse Road, Dukezong was the first stop after entering Tibet, a relatively comfortable stretch after all the hardships.

As time passes, this ancient town, once a hub on the Yunnan-Tibet tea route and a center for material transshipment and economic-cultural exchange between Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet, has seen its horse caravans disappear. Yet one can still imagine the moving scenes and bustling life of the past. The historical imprint accumulated over a thousand years highlights its depth and charm. The former glory has sunk below the horizon, replaced by a constant stream of tourists. Shops line the streets, offering restaurants, bars, coffee, fruit, tea, and various ethnic handicrafts. Modernity and tradition coexist, and the future grandeur will rise on the southern horizon.

Diqing is the last section of the Tea Horse Road from Yunnan into Tibet. Historically, the main route through this area was about 800 kilometers. Today, there are 19 well-preserved sections in Diqing, including the section from Liutongjiang Ferry, through Zhana Ancient Road and Meilishui Post Station, and Meilishui Tibetan Inscription Cliff, northwest to the Shuola Pass on the north side of Meili Snow Mountain—the last stop of the Tea Horse Road from Yunnan into Tibet. This ancient road originated over 2,000 years ago, became a military route for Tubo's southern incursion in the 7th century, later a tea-horse trade route, reached its peak in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and still serves folk exchanges between Yunnan and Tibet today.

The Twelve Railings section of the Tea Horse Road is located in Hongqi Village, Tiger Leaping Gorge Town, Shangri-La City, 70 kilometers from the city. Built at Guanyin Rock on the southern route in the third year of Yongzheng (1725), it was financed by over 80 merchants from Fujian, Shaanxi, Jiangxi, Dali, Jianchuan, Lijiang, Heqing, etc., in Zhongdian. They carved a path along the cliff, winding through twelve layers. The path "north clinging to the cliff, south encircling deep pits." This ancient road was a crucial pass from the interior into Tibet. Now there remains nearly three kilometers of ancient post road with cliff carvings and statues. The path, with Guanyin Rock to the east and the deep gorge of Gangqu River to the west, is extremely perilous. Since the Qing dynasty, many literati have inscribed poems or written essays about it.

The Twenty-four Turns section of the Tea Horse Road is in Nuoyu Village, Tiger Leaping Gorge Town, Shangri-La, 108 kilometers from the city. It is 38 kilometers long, mostly manually paved and carved, serving as an important route from Ninglang, Muli, Lijiang, etc., to the key Tea Horse Road town of Zhongdian County. Rugged and steep, it traverses Tiger Leaping Gorge and has now become a popular hiking route in the Tiger Leaping Gorge scenic area, beloved by domestic and international tourists.

The Hollow Tree section of the Tea Horse Road is located between Fuku Village in Shangjiang Township, Shangri-La City, and Xiangka Village in Xiaozhongdian Town. It is 33 kilometers long, passing remnants from ancient times and the Red Army's Long March, including First Bridge, Second Bridge, Dry Cliff House, Third Bridge, Fourth Bridge, Hollow Tree, Guzhe Dam, and Fragrant Tree. Historically, it was a major route from the interior into Diqing. In the spring of 1936, the Second and Sixth Red Army Corps entered Diqing via this route, and over 40 Red Army commanders and soldiers died in the Battle of Dry Cliff House along the way. In the early years of the People's Republic, the People's Liberation Army and supplies for the liberation of Tibet also traveled this road. Today, this ancient road is a red-themed route for retracing the Long March and receiving revolutionary tradition education.

Most of the Ancient Tea Horse Road has been replaced by modern highways, but the horse caravans from Bingzhongluo to southeastern Tibet still travel on it. Villagers and tourists going to Wuli Village must also use this ancient road to enter and exit, earning it the name "Living Ancient Tea Horse Road." On December 4, we started from the downstream human-horse suspension bridge into Wuli Village, hiking the Tea Horse Road upstream. This is a path carved out of steep cliffs, winding, desolate, and perilous—only by personal experience can one appreciate the difficulty of building and traveling such a road. Along the way, we met horse caravans coming the opposite direction, witnessing them crossing the human-horse suspension bridge.

Lijiang, with its central location, moderate altitude, and pleasant climate, was historically a very important distribution center for goods on the Tea Horse Road. Tea, horses, salt, silverware, copperware, leather goods, dairy products, silk, glassware, etc., gathered here. The favorable business atmosphere provided the naturally adventurous Naxi people with the conditions to venture into the world. Thus, the Naxi horse caravans began their legendary tales of "bells echoing in the mountains as the caravans come."

Shuhe Ancient Town was an important stop on the Yunnan-Tibet Tea Horse Road. The polished cobblestone streets bear witness to its past glory. There once were tea shops, blacksmiths, restaurants, etc., where caravans rested and replenished supplies. Following the cobblestone road, we came to the Cha Ma Wang (Tea Horse King) Former Residence Family Museum. The courtyard is a typical two-building corner tower, with basic architectural layout following Naxi folk building style and art. It was built in the late Republic period, renovated in 1935, and was the former residence of Wang Jian, a famous "Zangke" (Tibet-bound merchant) on the Yunnan-Tibet Tea Horse Road.

Zangke were a special group of merchants with economic means, combining adventurous and commercial spirit. The Wang family of Shuhe moved to Lijiang during the Hongwu reign of Ming, settled by the Mu chieftain in Shihe Courtyard (Shuhe Ancient Town) near the political and cultural center of Baisha. During the Yongzheng reign (1723) of Qing, the court implemented the policy of "replacing native officials with circulating officials," and the Wang family broke away from Mu chieftain's rule. They started as families in handmade leatherwork and rose. In the early 20th century, Wang Run, who studied under Zangke Li Jingzhai, emerged as a prominent figure in Lijiang; his cousin Wang Jian followed to achieve success, becoming a tale in Shuhe.

The Tea Horse Road is naturally inseparable from tea, and Pu'er is a major tea-producing area in Yunnan. It is said that when Pu'er tea was first shipped to Tibet, it was wrapped in bamboo husks. During the months-long transport, exposed to sun, rain, and wind, the tea underwent natural fermentation. Carried by horses, loaded and unloaded, and well-ventilated, it was less prone to mold, so the older it got, the more flavorful. Combined with the hardships of horse caravan transport, Pu'er tea became increasingly precious. On the evening of the 19th, I arrived in Pu'er City. Aside from the Rhinoceros Pond National Park, there were no other itinerary arrangements. Regretfully, I woke up at 4:30 am on the 20th and jogged along Pu'er Avenue, visiting the Tea Horse Ancient City alone. The Pu'er area is undulating, with the Tropic of Cancer crossing its center, making it the largest oasis on the Tropic of Cancer, called by the UN Environment Programme "the paradise of the world, and the world of paradise." Walking in the silent and empty Tea Horse Ancient City, gazing at the lush tea mountains of Pu'er, and savoring the profound tea horse culture, I traveled through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, as if in a dream.

(Winter Yunnan Journey Diary 15: Tour from 2020.11.28-12.23, written on 1.18 in Zhuhai)

(Nujiang Ancient Tea Horse Road)

(Danger everywhere)

(Steep cliffs)

(Overgrown with weeds)

(Carving a path from the cliff)

(Heirs of the horse caravans)

(Retracing the Ancient Tea Horse Road)

(Human-horse suspension bridge)

(Xizhou Ancient Town Justice Gate)

(Dali Erhai Gate)

(Shuhe Tea Horse Road Museum)