Sichuan - Traveling Through China

Author: Travel China Editorial Department
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: If you decide to travel to Sichuan, it must be because of its beautiful scenery, folk customs, or unique cuisine. Before you go, why not take a look at this book? Focusing on self-guided travel and more on human geography, it organizes Sichuan's human geography in an illustrated way, helping you first establish an emotional understanding of Sichuan and making your trip more enriching! This book is part of the "Travel China" series, which is a set of self-guided travel books primarily providing practical information. It strives to provide readers with the most comprehensive information, including relevant human geography knowledge to understand before departure, and essential travel tips on clothing, food, accommodation, and transportation. Additionally, it includes numerous recommendations and special reminders from "local people." The ultimate goal of travel is not just to "arrive," but to broaden one's horizons and understand the world and all things that exist alongside us. Therefore, "Travel China" includes an additional "Interpretation" section, explaining the local geography, history, and culture to readers as a pre-trip preparation. Without reading some Tang and Song Dynasty poetry, it's hard to appreciate the beauty of Jiangnan's mountains and waters; without some ethnological knowledge, one might fall into the curiosity of western ethnic minorities; and without an in-depth understanding of Chinese history, how can one appreciate the myriad ancient buildings? Of course, the editorial purpose of "Travel China" remains to provide readers with the most effective travel guide with an objective attitude and detailed information.
The Tea Horse Road The Tea Horse Road is an ancient trade route between Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet, primarily for the exchange of tea from Sichuan and Yunnan with horses and medicinal herbs from Tibet, transported by horse caravans. Generally, there are two routes: one runs from Yunnan's Pu'er through Dali, Zhongdian, Deqin, and into Tibet; the other runs from Sichuan's Chengdu through Ya'an, Kangding, Batang, and Qamdo to Lhasa, then to Shigatse in the rear Tibet for Nepal, Myanmar, India, and back to Ya'an, Kangding, Litang, and Batang in Sichuan. The "Tea Horse Road" connects Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet, extending into Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal, India, and even reaching the Middle East and the Red Sea coast of West Africa. Existing archaeological and historical records show that as early as the Han and Tang dynasties, this ancient road, characterized by horse caravans transporting tea, was already in operation. The Tea Horse Road is the longest, most arduous, and most scenically beautiful ancient trade route in the world, with a total length of over 10,000 kilometers, and almost no one could walk the entire route. Historically, Kangding in Sichuan was the largest trade hub on the Tea Horse Road. Kangding was once called "Da Jianfu," and horse caravans coming down from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau usually had to switch transportation here or engage in Tea Horse trade. In 1696, Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty approved the request to conduct Tea Horse trade in Kangding, making it the main commercial center between the interior and Tibet. Sichuan's silk, tea, and other goods were transported westward through Kangding, while goods from South Asia, Europe, and the Americas were sold to the interior of China from here. Along the Sichuan-Tibet Tea Horse Road are some of the most magnificent and breathtaking landscapes on Earth. From Chengdu to Ya'an, it is a prosperous and fertile plain of western Sichuan. Ya'an is known as the "Throat of Western Sichuan," the "Gateway to Tibet," and the "Ethnic Corridor." Its climate is subtropical monsoon, with frequent light rain year-round, like clouds and mist, as if light gauze, almost invisible, which the locals call "Ya Rain," and Ya'an is also known as the "Rain City." Ya'an is one of the largest tea-producing areas in Sichuan, with Mengding Mountain in its territory revered as the "forefather of tea." The Mengding tea produced here is an (premium) tea and one of the oldest famous teas in China, having been presented to the imperial court every year for over a thousand years since the Tang Dynasty until the Republic of China's reforms. It is said, "The water of the Yangtze River, the tea of Mengding Mountain."
Leaving Ya'an City, the road becomes increasingly dangerous with gorges and ravines, and the crisscrossing high mountains stretch endlessly. After crossing the perilous Feixian Pass, passing through the ancient town of Tianquan, and leaving the Jinmen Pass, you arrive at the famous Han-Tibet Divide—the Erlang Mountain. Erlang Mountain is renowned for its towering and steep cliffs, and from its summit, you can overlook the majestic profile of Gongga Snow Mountain, the king of Sichuan's mountains, which has been feared by travelers and merchants throughout history. The Erlang Mountain scenic area is rich in the culture of local lords, border tea, and Tibetan-Han Buddhist heritage. The most famous sites include the ancient watchtower tea trade market, the Erlang Mountain Tea Horse Road, the old city walls of Zishiguan, the Hongling Mountain temple complex, and the Cilang Temple. Additionally, it preserves sites left by the Long March Red Army, such as the Red Army University, the Red Army General Hospital, the headquarters of the Fourth Front Army, and the Dagon Mountain battlefield. To cross Erlang Mountain