The story of the caravan

 

The story of the caravan

 

Lacuo and several of his caravan companions accompanied Agudengba, Azhuo and Chu Sanxing to leave Myanmar and were on their way to Yunnan. The route they took was the Yunnan-Tibet Ancient Tea Horse Road. In fact, the Yunnan-Tibet Tea Horse Ancient Road has become a tourist route and can even be used by vehicles. Today, the goods traveling on the ancient road are different from those in ancient times. Tea is no longer the main material, and the caravans are no longer mainly responsible for transportation. But Lacuo still chose the trail. Although the road was bumpy, it could shorten the journey time.

Lacuo said:

The "Ancient Tea Horse Road" first took shape from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Tang and Song Dynasties. It flourished from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, and continued to gradually decline with the construction and extension of highways at all levels in the mid-20th century. It is not a single road, nor a single transportation concept, but a collective name for the main line and several large and small branches that extend from it.

In fact, caravans have opened up many ancient roads here since ancient times, including many ancient roads from Myanmar to Tibet. Due to the passage of time, no one will walk all the various ancient tea horse roads in these thousands of miles.

Lacuo's grandfather and father had worked as hard laborers in the caravan all their lives, including his two brothers, who were also caravan grooms.

Lacuo talked about the tea-horse years:

Chinese people have been fond of tea for a long time. People in the Central Plains and border areas have invariably integrated this leaf into their lives, and it has always been a part of their lives. Tea in the southwest and horses in the northwest played a balancing and stabilizing role in the construction and stability of ancient dynasty regimes. Whether it is tea as a daily enjoyment and a source of national taxation, or horses as a means of transportation and war, they are gradually becoming important media to communicate between east and west, north and south, central plains and frontiers, frontiers and frontiers, domestic and foreign countries. Such demand will inevitably bring about mutual dependence between different regions and different ethnic groups in agricultural society, which will then have an impact on the economy, politics and culture of ancient China. As a result, there has been a tea-horse mutual trade and tea-horse trade that has lasted for thousands of years in Chinese history. The prosperity of trade has led to the exchange of more types of goods.

Lacuo told the story about the caravan again:

A caravan is a team of horses that carry goods. Some farmers who can afford horses at home get together to form a caravan and run long-distance transportation under the leadership of Ma Guotou.

Lacuo smiled and said:

I am the leader of this caravan. In fact, here we call the leader "Ma Guotou". I am a Ma Guotou.

Lacuo continued:

Horse caravans are the main mode of transportation on the Yunnan-Tibet Tea Horse Ancient Road. However, due to the dangerous road, caravans often have to travel for more than half a year to complete a tea-horse transaction, and a large number of mules, horses and grooms often disappear along the way. But in order to make a living, the caravans on the plateau will always set out without hesitation to deliver tea from the tea-producing areas to people who are hungry for tea, and also connect the Hengduan Mountains and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

There are more than 20 ethnic minorities living in the Hengduan Mountains and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for generations. Although each ethnic group has its own language, clothing, customs, habits, beliefs and admiration, as well as its own unique philosophy and unique customs, they all regard Tea is regarded as a noble and elegant item.

In the small teahouse passing by that house, Lacuo, Agudengba, Azhuo, and Chu Sanxing drank tea while chatting about the horses in the caravan.

Lacuo said:

Horses were an important means of transportation in ancient times. The history of horse breeding in China can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. Starting from the Qin Dynasty, the central dynasties of all dynasties set up pastoral supervisors to directly raise horses. The ethnic minorities in the western region are good at raising horses. Not only have they accumulated rich experience in horse breeding, they have also trained a large number of horses to supply the mainland, making important contributions to consolidating their territory. Among them, the sweat-blooded horses of the Western Regions are even more famous all over the world.

Due to the high mountains and strong waters in the Hengduan Mountains and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, vehicle transportation and water navigation are not possible, so the oldest and most primitive transportation method of people on horseback can only be chosen. However, tall and majestic horses like sweat horses are not suitable for carrying loads on rugged mountain roads.

During the Han Dynasty, Yunnan had the famous "Yue Zima". During the Nanzhao and Dali periods, Yunnan horses were famous all over the country and were called "Dali horses". Yunnan horses are famous for their ability to walk on rugged mountain roads and their endurance in carrying heavy loads. This is different from the fame of sweaty BMWs.

Since the Ming Dynasty, as a large number of Han immigrants from the mainland entered Yunnan, Yunnan's commodity production has developed rapidly, and its population has expanded rapidly. Along with this, various types of consumption have also increased simultaneously, especially the mass production of copper, salt, and tea in Yunnan. Promoted the rapid growth of mule and horse transportation. Therefore, after the Ming Dynasty, the main use of Yunnan horses has changed from warfare to transportation.

Yunnan horses are masters of mountain transportation, which is also different from Tibetan yaks.

The yak is the "sacred cow" of the Tibetan people, the original cattle breed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and an indispensable life and production data for the local people.

When Tibetans are going on pilgrimage, when herders are moving their grazing camps, and when they need to do business, the yak is the most important means of transportation on the plateau, and because its whole body is a treasure, it is known as "the treasure of the plateau." "boat" and "all-round livestock".

While Lacuo drank tea with Agudengba, Azhuo and Chu Sanxing, they talked about the Chinese tea drinking tradition.

Drinking tea is not only a way of life for the Chinese, but also a relationship where culture, thoughts and feelings are exchanged and integrated. Tea can bring various benefits to people. From ancient times to the present, tea has been an indispensable necessity of life in many areas. Especially in plateau areas where fruits and vegetables are scarce, the dependence on tea is even more prominent. This is also a direct result of the formation of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. one of the reasons.

As a core item in the tea-horse market, tea exists based on human survival needs and aims to extend life. The subsequent trade exchanges, including furs, musk, antlers, local products, gold and silverware, etc., showed the richness of items and the fixation of trade from another aspect, that is, people no longer regard survival as the most basic needs, but the desire to have items that make life better. Objects have witnessed development. The tea-horse trade originated from objects and was also good at them.

On the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, many horse caravans traveled between the Han, Tibetan, Bai, Hui and other ethnic groups in southwest China, transporting tea, horses, salt and other commodities for trade exchange. It is like an endless river that flows into the sea. It closely links many ethnic groups in southwest China, strengthens economic and cultural exchanges and integration between them, enhances mutual unity and friendship, and consolidates the Stability on the Southwest Frontier.

Lacuo impromptu sang a Yunnan folk song "Ancient Road Caravan":

 

Farewell to my parents, wife and children,

We go on a long journey every day,

Walking on the rugged mountain road,

Trekking among the cliffs and forests,

In order to support the family,

Travel through thousands of mountains and rivers.

 

We are a caravan,

We are helpless coolies,

Look up at the sky,

The sun and moon know each other,

Take one more look at the stars,

When do family members meet?

 

May your parents, wife and children be well,

No need to teach life and death about lovesickness,

The sound of horse hoofbeats along the ancient road,

Crying with tears and sweat,

I put down the burden of tiredness,

But I can't let go of the pain of missing my relatives.

 

How I spend my life,

The horse bell will ring incessantly,

The plateau where Buddha shines,

has appeared before my eyes,

Arrive in heaven soon,

I will go there to rest.