The ancient tea-horse road originated from the trade of ” tea and horse exchange ” in the Tang and Song Dynasties . Yunnan and Sichuan , which are the origins of tea , went west to break with the barriers of the rivers and mountains , and sold tea to Tibet . The earliest time can be from the Tang Dynasty . The origin of the ancient tea-horse road is that the Tibetan people have a strong demand for tea , a magic substance . Tibet is a high-cold region with an altitude of more than three to four kilometers . Meat is the main source of food for Tibetans . However , there are no vegetables and excessive fat intake makes fat difficult to decompose in the human body . Tea can not only decompose fat , but also It can prevent dryness and heat , so Tibetans have developed a habit of drinking butter tea in their long-term lives . At the same time , people in inland areas need a lot of horses due to long-term battles , and Tibet is rich in good horses , so complementary tea and horse trades have emerged .
Route Formation
The itinerary of the Yunnan-Tibet route , the route from Yunnan to Tibet , first appeared in the Tang Dynasty , and it was closely related to the outward expansion and trade activities of the Tubo king . Long-term trade has achieved considerable development , and tea-horse trade is one of the most important contents . Departing from Dali , Yunnan , going north to Jianchuan , Yunnan , and then Lijiang , Yunnan , to Yanjing , and then along the Lancang River north to Mangkang and Zuogong in Tibet . There are two roads to Tibet and Qamdo in Tibet . , And Lhasa in Tibet .
The Winding Route
Beautiful scenery along the way
A hard and dangerous road
Why longing for the Ancient Tea Horse Road
The Ancient Tea Horse Road winds through the Hengduan Mountains in southwest China , connecting the inland and Tibet’s civil trade . For more than a thousand year , it has transported tea from Yunnan and Sichuan to Tibet , and transported special products of the plateau of Tibet back to the inland , linking the economic and cultural exchanges between the inland and Tibet . On this long ancient road , religious culture , as well as the culture of various ethnic minorities along the way , are spreading . The thrilling natural landscapes along the way , and the legendary humanistic connotations , prove that more and more people are attracted to the world .
Historical Value
The Ancient Tea Horse Road is an ancient road like the Silk Road. It has played an important role in the breeding and development of the Chinese nation. Although it has been gradually obliterated in the dust of history with modern civilization, its history and value are worthy of our exploration.