History of Ancient Tea-horse Road

 

"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.

In Ming Dynasty, the government continued building post roads.

In Qing Dynasty, the post organization of Tibet was renamed as “Tang”. Management of Tang stations was further improved and completed.

At the end of Qing Dynasty and beginning of the new republic regime, number of tea dealers soared.

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.