Tea Horse Road – Xianshi Ancient Town Salt Wharf

Tea Horse Road – Xianshi Ancient Town Salt Wharf

The Tea Horse Road – Xianshi Ancient Town Salt Wharf is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit — Xianshi Ancient Town Salt Wharf. This is because, in the past, when the Fuxi River flowed through this area, there was a long stony shoal. Due to the sharp bends, numerous shallows, and rapid currents, salt transport boats found it time-consuming and laborious to navigate. Salt boats could not proceed downstream directly here, so many vessels waited to cross the shoal or anchored to load cargo. Salt packages had to be first unloaded at the upper wharf, after which boat trackers pulled the boats across the shoal area before the salt was reloaded at the lower wharf for onward shipping. This process is historically known as “navigating the shoal and navigating the bend.” The town’s layout is based around its landscape. Three ancient wharves were built along the river, establishing three water routes in and out of Xianshi. Streets were constructed along the river, and the main thoroughfares lead directly to the wharves.