does anyone here know the ancient tea-horse road? it that road similar to the famous Silk Road? are there some trips along the road?   i am curious of that road. thanks

it was a trade route connecting the devoloped areas with the western frontiers in China. many cultural sites can be find along the way.

More info at my site:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/happysheep/shangri-la-la/1220186160/tpod.html?tweb_UID=happysheep

about a new book about this route

Across the dangerous hills and rivers of Hengduan Mountain Range, in the wild lands and forests across "the Rooftop of the World", a mysterious ancient road winds and wonders. It is one of the most heart quaking roads on this planet. For thousands of years, numerous caravans had been quietly traveling along it. Standing on the Road, you can still see clearly the some-70cm-deep holes in the stone plates by stamping of horse hooves. And it seems they have numerous stories to tell. The aged Mhanee altars on roadside are engraved with all sorts of religious scriptures and mottos. This, is the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, one of the world's highest and most precipitous ancient roads which carries and spreads civilization and culture.

The Ancient Tea-Horse Road is a passage formed by tea-horse trading in ancient China between agriculture area of the inner land and remote nomadic areas. Tea-horse trading is an activity carried out based on "tea" from central area and "horses" from remote minority area. As an important means for economic exchange between Han regions and minorities regions, it played a crucial role in communicating among different ethnic groups both economically and culturally. "The Ancient Tea-Horse Road" is a post road formed by trading of tea and horses in the past between northwest Yunnan and southeast Tibet. Along this ancient road, there are the best natural scenery and cultural sites of China. Proper development will make the road one of the world's best areas for traveling. The tourist development of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road has been included in China's "10th five-year-plan for tourism" as part of the associated regional strategies.

Tea-horse Road History

"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 western frontier of China.

In the old times, the little passage between Tibet 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 Xishuangbanner in the far south edge, , heading all the way to the north through Pu'er, Dali Shaxi in Jianchuan, Lijiang, then reached Nyingchi, finally Lhasa

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.

The Sichuan-Tibet Route started at Ya'an , went through Luding, Kangding into the Chamdo region in Tibet and then Lhasa.