Xinhua, Xinyang, Feb. 17 (Pan Zaijun & Zhang Yinxiang) After nearly a year of enduring wind and weather and arduous trekking, the camel caravan of the "Retracing the Tea Road" event, jointly initiated by the government of Erenhot City in Inner Mongolia, the Inner Mongolia Tea Road Research Association, and others, arrived today in Xinyang, Henan, known as the hometown of famous green tea, kicking off a series of tea-themed activities in Xinyang.
The launch ceremony for the "Retracing the Tea Road" series of events in China's Tea Capital of Xinyang was held at Xinyang Maojian Group. Wei Yong, president of the Xinyang Tea Association, and Hu Mingfang, secretary-general and chief planner of the "Retracing the Tea Road" event, exchanged gifts (tea and khadags), and the camel caravan was presented with a flag. Kan Guiqian, general manager of Xinyang Maojian Group, toasted to cheer on the caravan members. At the command, the caravan carrying the renowned Xinyang tea "Longtan Xinyang Maojian" set off again, embarking on its journey to Europe with the fine teas of Xinyang.
The "Tea Road" originated from the Treaty of Nerchinsk signed between China and Russia in 1689. According to the treaty, tea trade was conducted between the two nations, opening up a trade route stretching ten thousand li, starting from Fujian and Hunan, passing through Hankou, Beijing, Guihua (now Hohhot), Kulun (today's Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia), Kyakhta in Russia, Sretensk, Orenburg, Moscow, and finally arriving in Saint Petersburg. This 320-year-old Eurasian trade route, established due to the rise of tea commerce, came to be known as the "Tea Road." It gradually faded from public view by the end of the Qing Dynasty, but many of its historical relics remain well-preserved in numerous locations.
At the end of April 2013, a research team of the "Retracing the Tea Road" initiative, consisting of over 60 members and 120 camels, set out from Inner Mongolia. Following the historical Tea Road, they carried famous teas from various regions and trekked on foot through seven provinces and regions—Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, and Inner Mongolia—in search of historical memories along the Tea Road.
Xinyang was once a renowned tea region in ancient Huainan. As one of China’s largest producers of high-mountain green tea and an important node city on the Ten Thousand Li Tea Road, Xinyang has a tea and tea culture history spanning more than 3,000 years. With Xinyang Maojian as its representative local specialty, it is one of China’s top ten famous teas and enjoys fame both domestically and internationally.
"Renowned for tea, developed by tea, exchanging through tea, and proud of tea. With a solid foundation in the tea industry and a convenient transportation network, Xinyang will play a significant and indispensable role on the Ten Thousand Li Tea Road. The successful hosting of this event will surely further enhance the influence and visibility of Xinyang’s tea industry and tea culture nationally and even globally, strengthen the market appeal of Xinyang as the 'China Tea Capital,' and drive the development of Xinyang’s tea industry," said Wei Yong, president of the Xinyang Tea Association.
The "Tea Road" is another global ancient overland trade route following the Silk Road and once played a crucial role in East-West trade. Hu Mingfang, secretary-general and chief planner of the event organizing committee, said in an interview with reporters that to commemorate this Eurasian passage, the organizers chose the camel as the symbolic carrier of tea transport westward over centuries. The "Retracing the Tea Road" series of events aim primarily to elevate the overall international profile of Chinese tea, reclaim the narrative of Chinese tea culture, awaken historical memories along the Tea Road, and thereby create tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges among China, Mongolia, and Russia along the Tea Road, allowing the international community to rediscover Chinese tea, Chinese tea culture, and Chinese civilization.
It is understood that after loading up with Xinyang’s famous teas in Henan, the camel caravan will continue trekking northward and eventually return to Inner Mongolia, where the camels will be replaced by vehicles. The caravan will then carry tea across 11 Eurasian countries including Mongolia, Russia, Germany, and France, reaching its final destination in Paris, France, where it has been invited to attend the Paris "World Tea Congress." (End)