“茶馬古道”是中國西南大地上一條進行對外經濟文化交流，傳播中國古代文明的國際通道,是西南的“絲綢之路”。
For thousands of years, only humans and horses treaded the mountains of Southwest China as they followed an ancient pathway through the Chinese hinterlands and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Along the unpaved and rugged pathway that was formed, commodities like tea, salt and sugar flowed into Tibet. Meanwhile, horses, cows, furs, musk and other local products made their way to the outside world. The road was called the tea-horse ancient road, and it stretched across more than 4,000 kilometers, mainly through Southwest China’s Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
The ancient commercial passage first appeared during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It also experienced the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties - or a period of more than 1,200 years. The road promoted exchanges in culture and religion, and saw ethnic migration that closely resembled what was experienced on the well-known Silk Road.
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.
Two major routes
Roughly speak- ing, there were two main routes:
Route One: Begins in Ya’an in Sichuan Province to Qamdo via Luding, Kangd- ing, Litang and Batang before mer- ging with Route One into Lhasa.
Route Two: Begins in Xishuangbanna and Simao, home of Pu’er tea (via Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian, Benzilan and Deqeng) in Yunnan Province to Zugong, Bamda, Rewoqe, Zayu or Qamdo, Lholung, Benba, Jiali, Gongbogyangda, Lhasa, Gyangze and Yadong in Tibet, before continuing into Myanmar, Nepal and India.
Tens of thousands of traveling horses and yaks created a definite pathway with their hooves on the once-indiscernible road. Today, although even such traces of the ancient road are fading away, its cultural and historic values remain.
The Eternal Road
No matter what is happening in the world, three types of things in the tea-horse ancient road will continue to exist: the beautiful and rustic nature scene, inviolable religion and simple Tibetan people.
This ancient road features the imposing scenery and a soul-stirring quiet. Some- times, things seem static and the sur- rounding mountains stand silent. There is a kind of beauty in the desolation that may easily lead people to believe they are experienced a prehistoric place when they visit.
The distant mountains reveal strong and exquisite ridges while rain and snow melt together, rushing down from the mountains and rapidly gathering before flowing into innumerable rivers.
If the mountains could form a skeleton of Tibet, the resulting rivers and streams might form their vessels, which pour vigor and vitality into the plateau.
Besides mountain and rivers, there are also many peculiar stones, incomparably marvelous clouds, as well as unusual light illuminating the sky as one travels the road.
Walking the tea-horse ancient road might allow one to see reverent pilgrims heading to holy city Lhasa. They walk slowly along the rugged road, some of them even crawling, butting heads as they move toward their sacred destination. Their arms and legs fester - foreheads dripping blood - but with eyes still full of light, granted comfort from their beliefs.
When you walk the road of Tibet in a cloudless dawn or under the glow of a sunset, the sights can stir the senses and seem an awakening experience.
Caravans on the Way
From ancient times, mabang (caravans) have been the main vehicles used for transportation.
Year after year, thousands of cara- vans traveled the rough road while the hoof beats and the sounds of clear bells broke the tranquility of the canyon. The road opened a vital pathway for economics and trade with the outside world.
In World War II, the tea-horse ancient road became the only transportation line for the southwest of China. Caravans trans- ported large quantities of international as- sistance from India, which greatly supported China’s Sino-Japanese War.
After the accomplishment of the Dian- Zang Highway and the Chengdu-Lhasa Highway, automobiles replaced the cara- vans, and the tea-horse ancient road be- came a part of history. But in the outlying mountainous area of Yunnan Province, caravans remain the main source of trans- portation today.
The tea-horse ancient road - from ancient times through its present history - contributes greatly to the national spirit of the Chinese people. It represents continuity as an eternal monument in the history of China.
Culture Treaded by Feet
The tea- horse ancient road is hard and dange- rous, yet the natural land- scape along it stimulates people’s un- derlying courage, strength and endurance while helping to provide meaning to life.
In addition, Tibetan Buddhism has provided widespread doctrine on the tea-horse ancient road, further promoting economic dialogue, cultural exchanges, along with unity and friendship between the nationalities of Naxi, Bai, Tibetan and other ethnic groups.
Some reverent artists have drawn and carved massive images of Buddha, Bodhisattva, eminent monks, God animals, conch, and other heavenly bodies on rocks along the roadside. These have increased a kind of sacred dignity for the ancient roadway.
With thousands of years of history behind it, the tea-horse ancient road - like a big corridor connecting various nationa- lities - has developed the local economy, stimulated the commodity markets in co- mmunities, and promoted the develop- ment of border trade as well. It has pro- moted 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
Pu’er: hometown of Pu’er 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.
幾千年來，在中國內地與青藏高原的群山之間，只有人類和他們的馬匹循著這條古道穿梭于西南部的群山峻嶺之間。
順著這條行人走出來的崎嶇不平的道路，一些商品像茶葉、鹽和糖流入到了西藏。與此同時，馬、牛、皮毛、麝香等當地產品也走向了外面的世界。這條道被稱為茶馬古道，綿延縱橫4,000多公里，主要途徑中國西南部的四川省和云南省，以及西藏自治區。
在唐朝(618-907)首次出現了古代的商業通道，宋、元、明、清年間也出現了商業通道，時間長達1,200多年。這條古道促進了地區和文化交流，也像著名的“絲綢之路”一樣促進了民族之間的融合。
這條古道兩邊，生活著20多個少數民族。不同的地方有著各自美麗而神奇的自然風景和傳統文化，比如：大理和麗江古城，香格里拉，雅魯藏布江大峽谷和布達拉宮。古道的兩旁有廟宇、巖石壁畫、驛站、古橋和木板路，還有少數民族舞蹈和民族服裝。
兩大路線
大致而言，有兩大路線：
路線一：從四川雅安出發到昌都，然后途經瀘定、康定、理塘和巴塘，最后到達拉薩。
路線二：從西雙版納和普洱茶的思茅出發，途經云南大理、麗江、中甸、奔子欄和德欽，然后到達西藏Zugong，Bamda，Rewoqe，Zayu or Qamdo，Lholung，Benba，Jiali, Gong- bogyangda，拉薩，Gyangze 和Yadong，之后到達緬甸、尼泊爾和印度。
成千上萬匹馬和牦牛用它們的蹄子走出了一條清晰可見的道路，時至今天，雖然這條古道的蹤跡都消失了，但它的文化和歷史價值仍然存在。
永恒的道路
不管這個世界會發生什么變化，但是這條茶馬古道的三樣東西卻會依然存在：美麗原始的自然風景，神圣的宗教，和淳樸的藏族人民。
茶馬古道風景迷人，幽靜僻遠。有時，萬物皆靜，四面的群山寂靜無語，這種荒涼寂靜之美很容易把游人帶進一個空靈的遠古地帶。
雨雪在一起融化，遠山就呈現出一派剛強與精致的山脊。雪水從山上沖到山下，又迅速匯聚在一起，然后流入千萬條河流之內。
如果把群山看作是西藏的骨架的話，那么那些河流與小溪便是西藏的血管，而河流又給平原帶來了能量和生機。
除此之外，這里還有大量的奇石異云，有時候，游客在路上還會遇到罕見的閃電照亮整個天空的壯景。
日落時分，天空萬里無云，太陽的余輝閃耀，你行走在西藏的一條大路上，此時，風景無限，觸動你的靈感，這頗是一次讓人為之一驚的體驗。
行走在茶馬古道上，你或許能夠看到一些去往圣城拉薩的虔誠朝圣者，他們在崎嶇不平的路上行走，步行緩慢，有的甚至屈膝爬行，磕著頭前往圣地。即使他們的雙腿與胳膊化膿--額頭滴血--但他們的眼神依然閃爍著光芒，是信仰給了他們安慰。
途中的大篷車
自古以來，大篷車就一直是運輸的主要工具。
每年都有無數輛大篷車行走在崎嶇不平的道路上，蹄子當當地響，清脆的鈴聲在山谷里回蕩，這條古道開辟了一條重要的對外經貿之路。
二戰時期，茶馬古道成為中國西南部唯一一條交通路線。當時，印度大力支持中國的抗日戰爭，因此大篷車也裝載著大量印度給中國的國際援助物資。
行走完滇藏公路和成都到拉薩的公路后，接下來就要乘汽車了。茶馬古道已成為歷史的一部分了，但是至今，在云南的偏遠山區，大篷車仍然是交通運輸的重要工具。
時至今日，茶馬古道已為中華民族的整個民族精神做出了巨大貢獻，而且它仍將是中國歷史上的永恒紀念碑。
文化的足跡
茶馬古道這條古路難走而且充滿危險，可是它美麗的自然風景卻刺激人們鼓足勇氣，使出力量，拼足耐力去認識和領悟生命的意義。
此外，茶馬古道也促進了藏傳佛教的廣泛傳播，促進了經濟和文化的交流，也加強了納西族、白族、藏族和其他少數民族之間的友誼和團結。
一些受人崇敬的藝術家曾在路邊的巖壁上畫下和刻下了大量佛像、菩薩像，僧侶和神仙像，以及貝殼與天體的圖像。這些遺跡都增加了這條古道的神圣色彩，以及人們對這里的崇敬。
幾千年來，隨著歷史的發展，茶馬古道--就像一個連結著各個少數民族的大走廊，使當地的經濟得到了發展，刺激了民族間商品市場的發展，也促進了邊境貿易的發展。它促進了農業的發展和飼養動物的產生，同時，還為當地的藝術、宗教、文化和思想意識提供了一個發展空間，它更加促進了民族在多個領域內的史無前例的發展與繁榮。
茶馬古道周邊的重要城鎮
普洱：歷史悠久的普洱茶的故鄉。
下關(大理)：茶葉的主要加工與收集中心。
劍川：茶馬古道上的一個集市。
沙溪寺登：茶馬古道上唯一幸存的古集市。
麗江：茶馬古道上最有名的集散地。
德欽：云南邊界內的最后一個路站。
