The article explores the historical and cultural significance of the Tea Horse Road, reflecting on personal memories from Qing Lao in Niding, a hamlet in northern Yunnan. It recounts the days of mule-drawn caravans that traveled the route, transporting valuable goods including pu-erh tea. Lao's reminiscences highlight the communal spirit and hospitality of the mountain people, who assisted weary traders. This ancient trade route not only facilitated commerce but also fostered deep connections among the people and cultures of southern China and Tibet.
Niding was one of the last supply stations for caravans traveling west along the Tea Horse Road, a loosely defined tangle of trading routes between several provinces in southern China and Tibet.
Qing Lao recalled shreds of those days in the 1960s and '70s when mule-drawn caravans plying the old trade route were still common, the copper clang of their bells echoing through the valley.
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