Good news for Chinese readers: related article has been published in Wenzhuo‘s column Tea Perspectives of January 2022 <Tea Times 茶博览> tea magazine in Chinese, 观茶者专栏-“Jeff Fuchs:行走于茶马古道上的徒步者”.
Jeff Fuchs, who has lived in Shangri La, Yunnan for ten years, has 17 years of experience in recording and exploring trade routes in the Himalayas and visiting trade participants. He always takes tea and teapots when traveling. His photographic documentary book <Ancient Tea Horse Road> has recorded that he and his team walked along the ancient tea horse road on the Yunnan Tibet line. Based on his book, the documentary of the same name made by Canadian director Andrew Gregg won the documentary award. Jeff has organized and participated in more than 30 Himalayan expeditions, and he has won many Explorer awards such as recently as one of the “100 greatest explorers in Canada” by the Royal Geographical Society of Canada.
”A portrait with one the old trader/muleteers, Dawa, who has since passed away. If there was one face and personality for me that represented the spirit of the Tea Horse Road, it was that of Dawa who lived in northwestern Yunnan province near the famed ‘Sho La’ Pass.“
The West knows little about the history of the ancient tea horse road. Jeff is the first documented westerner to walk through this folk international trade channel originated from the tea horse exchange market in the southwest frontier of ancient China in the Tang and Song dynasties. Jeff is very interested in the unknown businessmen and mules on this route. He wants to find out why these people choose this wandering and dangerous life at great risk. Jeff said that thanks to the guidance of the local villagers, otherwise he and his team could not complete the crossing. Even if the team members themselves master multiple languages, due to the complexity of regional nationalities and the diversity of local languages, they must communicate with local people even if they use gestures when necessary. The team got lost several times, even for two weeks. When reading Jeff’s book, I was amazed that the team handled things calmly. Jeff was also very satisfied with the peaceful psychological state during the journey.
”The sacred ‘Genyen Mountain (6562 metres)’ in western Sichuan lies along a portion of the Sichuan-Tibet Tea Horse Road. Such a portion of the route lied along the nomadic corridors where tea, silk, horses and medicines were traded.“
”A part of our team along a portion of the Tea Horse Road as a blizzard begins to hit.“
“Nomads prepare a last tea before moving their home, which includes tents, yak, dogs, and all possessions. For many Tibetans, tea (called ‘ja’) was the great panacea and tonic – both for the body and as a luxury without equal. ”
“During the expedition our tea preparation was remarkably simple. When we set up camp, fire was started immediately for tea.”
In the documentary of the same name, the audience can understand the trade route itself. Western audiences are amazed at the existence of this mysterious trade route, which is 200 years earlier than the well-known silk road. Tell the audience the story of the people behind the leaves from the origin, growth environment, production and processing and cultural significance of Pu’er. The Western tea industry should not only focus on the form and aesthetics of tea, nor should it only focus on the appearance or smell of tea. Jeff hopes to introduce them to some little-known tea history, realize the added value of risky trade and transportation to tea, and provide some informal ways of tea service, production and enjoyment.
“A Bulang woman with freshly harvested tea leaves begins preparation for making ’sour tea’.”
“One of the alternative ‘recipes’ or uses of tea is the fermented version of tea leaves used by the Bulang people of southern Yunnan. Fresh tea leaves are boiled and buried within a bamboo cylinder in soil. The leaves are left for months or even years and then dug up and eaten in ceremonies and celebrations, where it is mixed with rice. This ‘dish’ is known as ‘Am Mem’ in the local language.”
Jeff has used mainstream media such as documentaries, literary works and TV programs, and we media such as blogs, podcasts and Youtube. He believes that all these help to promote the dissemination of tea as a beverage and cultural heritage. More important than media forms is the consistency and integrity of information transmission. As the co-founder and purchaser of Jalam tea, Jeff plans to expand the procurement scope of Pu’er tea in the future and sell it to collectors in small quantities to meet people’s growing interest in Pu’er tea. Jeff, who is now the director of outdoor programs at the non-profit Akahiao Nature Institute on the big island of Hawaii, is committed to immersing young people in the “Outdoors” while insisting on providing Tea Time for all project participants twice a day.
“A Bulang elder walks through his family’s ancient tea tree forests near Lao Ma Er in the Bulang Mountains of southern Yunnan province. Teas from such old trees, if made well, can command huge amounts of money during the coveted Spring harvests.”
“I’m allowed to prepare tea for my hosts in Ba Ma, Nannuo Mountain….not sure of the result but always a treat to serve others, their own tea.”
Good news for Chinese readers: related article has been published in Wenzhuo‘s column Tea Perspectives of January 2022 <Tea Times 茶博览> tea magazine in Chinese, 观茶者专栏-“Jeff Fuchs:行走于茶马古道上的徒步者”.
Tea Perspectives of January 2022 <Tea Times 茶博览>
This blog brings life and clarity to the mysterious traditional culture of tea.
Thank you for your message. Jeff made a good demonstration. I hope more people will pay attention to tea culture from many aspects