China is the origin of the tea tree and the first country in the world to discover and utilize tea as a beverage and for medicinal purposes. It is truly the hometown of tea, which has been recognized around the world. 2,000 years ago, Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions as an envoy, and 600 years ago, Zheng He went to the West, exporting Chinese silk, tea, porcelain, and other products to countries along the way, bringing with him the civilization and friendship of ancient China.
Today, the “One Belt, One Road” international cooperation initiative advocated by our country has turned camel bells into the whistle of the silver dragon, and turned the sail shadow into a cargo ship cutting through the waves, continuing to send the culture, economy, and responsibilities of the ancient civilization to all parts of the world.
On this road of connection from ancient times to the present, tea has always occupied an important position. Among them, the “Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road” that has lasted for hundreds of years is the most authentic portrayal.
After tracing thousands of miles and looking across thousands of years, what is the Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road?
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative.
“One Belt, One Road” is the abbreviation of “Silk Road Economic Belt” and “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”. It is a transnational economic belt initiated and led by the Chinese government in 2013. The scope covers countries in East Asia, Central Asia, North Asia, West Asia, the Indian Ocean coast, the Mediterranean coast, South America, and the Atlantic region that the Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road traveled through in Chinese history.
This ancient Silk Road is a symbol of exchanges and cooperation between the East and the West. In addition to trade cooperation, it also allows mutual learning between civilizations.
History and present are always like a double-sided mirror, reflecting the integration and prosperity of civilizations. The “One Belt, One Road” initiative launched in 2013 has given new life to many ancient international trade routes, including the tea transportation route that has connected China with the world for hundreds of years.
If you come to Myasnitsky Street in Moscow, you will find a Russian tea shop full of Qing Dynasty palace elements. This touch of Chinese color thousands of miles away comes from the late 19th century and is one of the important witnesses of Sino-Russian trade.
As early as the 17th century, oriental leaves that fascinated Westerners originated from southern China. Carried by Shanxi merchants, they crossed China’s mountains, rivers, and Gobi Desert, all the way north to Kyaktu, a small town on the Sino-Russian border at that time, and then connected with Russia’s east-west road to St. Petersburg.
This meandering trade route stretching for 13,000 kilometers is called the Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road.
This ancient road, which once promoted regional development, formed diverse dialogues, and promoted national integration, is a prosperous and peaceful “artery of the century.” It plays a non-negligible role in promoting China’s entry into global trade. Some history experts said frankly:
The formation period of the Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road was an important period when the West completed the Industrial Revolution. Chinese products were sold to Europe through the “Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road”, which promoted the process of Chinese goods joining the world trade system and promoted the process of China’s modernization.
In the early 19th century, the tea trade on the Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road reached its peak. But with the outbreak of the Opium War, its fate began to change. The signing of unequal treaties and the completion of the Siberian Railway gave this trade network a fatal impact. In the 20th century, the companies that once dominated the Sino-Russian tea trade sadly withdrew, announcing the silence of the Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road.
In the past 10 years, the “One Belt, One Road” initiative has evolved from initial advocacy and vision into practice and action. The Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road, once lost in the long river of history, once again uses tea as a medium and the road as a guide, bringing new cooperation opportunities to countries and cities along the route in the fields of humanities, tourism, economy, and trade.
The century-old road allows history to travel thousands of miles: the various life styles in the Fujian Mountains and Hanshui River, the customs and culture of the grasslands and Gobi, and anecdotes from foreign countries. There are too many stories recorded on this tea road…
The ruts of thousands of miles have covered the ups and downs of our country, and the ruins of the inn are hung with the changes of the times.
The Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road has been silent for a hundred years, but its contribution and testimony to China’s influence on the world cannot be erased. During the hundreds of years of prosperous trade on this ancient road, it promoted the development of Chinese tea growing industry and transportation industry, and promoted the economic and social development and cultural exchange and integration of China’s northern grasslands and Russia’s Siberia.
The reason why the Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road is called the “Century Artery” is not only because it is an economic artery, but also because it was established at the time when modern industrial civilization in the West was rising. It was closely related to the traditional farming civilization in mainland China and the nomadic civilization in the northern minority areas. Collide and communicate together. This has enabled China to take an important step towards integrating with the global economy and culture.
Looking back at history, the historical microcosm of Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road reflects the unique spiritual value, way of thinking and aesthetic orientation of the Chinese nation, and confirms the important position of Chinese tea in the world. I believe that the revival of Ten Thousand Miles of Tea Road will allow Chinese tea to continue to integrate into and lead the development trend of global tea culture!
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