Tea Horse Road

• 26 Feb 2025

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

China’s Ambassador to India highlighted the Ancient Tea Horse Road, connecting China to India via Tibet, emphasizing its centuries-old role in facilitating exchanges between China and the Indian subcontinent. 

What is Ancient Tea Horse Road? 

• About: 
  • Tea Horse road, often referred to as the Southern Silk Road, is a network of caravan paths and a crucial trade route that connected China, Tibet, and India for centuries. 
• Pathway: 
  • It stretches from southwest China (Yunnan & Sichuan), passing through Tibet, Nepal, and India, eventually reaching Kolkata. 
  • Key Centers: 
    • Lijiang & Dali (Yunnan, China): Tea processing and trade hubs. 
    • Lhasa (Tibet): A major convergence point for tea and Tibetan goods like horses. 
    • Kalimpong & Kolkata (India): Final trade destinations before export to Europe and Asia. 
• Major Routes: 
  • Route 1: Originated from Ya'an (near Chengdu), passed through Kangding, Lhasa, and extended to Nepal and India. 
  • Route 2: Started in central Yunnan, passing Lijiang, Zhongdian, and Deqin, reaching Lhasa before extending into India. 

• Origin & Evolution: 
  • The Tea Horse Road dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and initially facilitated the trade of sugar, textiles, and rice noodles from China to Tibet and India, while horses, gold, saffron, and medicinal herbs were traded in the opposite direction. 
  • The trade eventually centered around tea and horses, leading to the route being named the "Tea Horse Road." 
  • Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) formalized the trade, regulating the exchange of Tibetan horses for China’s military and Chinese tea for Tibet.  
    • The 13^th-century Mongol expansion further heightened the route’s importance for supplying horses. 
• Decline of Tea Horse Road: 
  • End of the Qing Dynasty (1912): Political instability weakened control over trade routes. 
  • Modernization of Infrastructure: Modern transportation networks made traditional routes obsolete. 
  • World War II and Economic Shifts: Though briefly revived for military logistics, industrial production and mechanized transport led to its decline. 
  • Establishment of Modern China (1949): Land reforms and road construction made the traditional portering system redundant. 

Read More: What is the Silk Road? 

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Prelims

Q. Belt and Road Initiative is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of (2016)

(a) African Union 
(b) Brazil 
(c) European Union 
(d) China 

Ans: (d)