Journal of the Silk Roads - issue libre

 Salvete Omnes,

when you are interested in the Central Asia history, from the hunter gatherers to the end of the nomadic empires, the story of old Silk Roads is probably one of the more engaging subjects.

Transporting silk and woven textiles, gold, Chinese ceramics etc in exchange for steppe-bred horses was the traditional way of exchange between the ancient nomads and the Chinese civilization, the Tang Dynasty period being the most intriguing, with the Sogdian merchants playing the pivotal role. The Christian Nestorian creed spread into the steppe and into China through the Silk Roads routes, later Islam as well, and Buddhism too, while the Zoroastrian refugees from Persia found heaven in Tang China. The Turkish and Mongol conquests started along the Silk Roads. Tea was spread through the Silk Roads and so on. The Silk Roads linked Western Asia, especially the Persian empires and the Chinese empires, resulting in many beautiful works of art and ideas.

the new issue 1-2 (2026) of the Journal of the Silk Roads 

is available on the Brill's site for download.

My most favorite book on the subject still is 'Golden Peaches of Samarkand'(1962)  by Edward Schafer. 

one aspect of the Silk Roads was the Tea Horse Road, perhaps more about its Muscovy connection more in the future.

valete

Fire Horse Year & Tea Horse Road

 Salvete Omnes,

Chinese zodiac - Fukuoka, Japan

the Lunar year of Fire Horse started on February 19th.  May this new year bring peace and prosperity to all.

Today's post will be about tea, mules and horses.

The Chamadao or Chamagudao or the Ancient Tea Horse Road was the trade route between  Tang China and Tibet and Bengal. 

Along with silk and porcelain the teas of China became quite early essential  commodities for the external markets and coveted Chinese imports. 

For more than a thousand year Chinese caravans of tea-horse (mule) muleteers and porters carried packaged tea from Chengdu in Sichuan & Kunming in Yunnan,  from Pu'er & Dali regions of tea growing and production to the Tibetans of  Lhasa and other centers of power, to the Nepalis further west and to the Bengali yet further to  the southwest, all  across the Himalayan mountains and plateaus. 

Since horses did not breed well in the main Han China provinces, then the Chinese export of tea & silk etc led to the exchange of  those much coveted Tibetan-bred horses  for tea etc. 

Tibetan pony

The Song Dynasty, very poor in good horses for their cavalry due to their wars with the  Jin Dyansty and Mongols, is known for importing the Naqu/Hequ horses from Tibetan breeders.

Hequ horse of Tibet

Hequ horse

Hequ horse

.

Teas from the Chinese cultivation areas was harvested by hand, dried, fermented and shaped into bricks and cakes, the final products wrapped in bamboo leaves & husk or tree bark for travel. For six months the tea caravans would trek the road until reaching their desired market destinations. 

The Chinese tea drinking spread to India, Mongolia, Central Asia and Japan, and much later to Muscovy and Europe. 

Valete

Tang riding horse harness terminology

 Salvete Omnes,

Tang Dynasty period in Chinese history is famous for the ceramics in shape of horse and horse & rider. 

I have a book - actually an exhibit catalog from  the Kentucky Horse Park (published 2000AD).
Title: The Imperial China, The Art of the Horse in Chinese (review). 
In the Chapter: The Horse in Chinese History by Bill Cooke (director emeritus of the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park) there is a description of the Chinese terminology around the Tang Dynasty period. 

The author provided information on the horse harness terminology -

Jisheng on the crouper harness

Bridle- 'luotou' and the Bit - 'Youle' with cheek-bars - 'Biao'

Saddle - 'An'

Pommel and cantle saddle with tree bars

High pommel saddle with a saddle cover, saddle pad, saddle mud guard, and stirrups

Behind the saddle, to the saddle tree Tang saddlemakers added 4-6 straps hanging down the saddle pad

horse with a crenellated mane

Saddle-pad - 'cun' and  Saddle mud-screen -  'zhang-ni'

Saddle cover - 'Anfu'

Saddle cinch/girth - 'Fudai'

Breastplate/breast-strap - 'Panxiong'

Crouper/crupper - 'Qiu'

Apricot/peach leaf ornament - 'Xingye'

Cranellated /crenelated mane - 'three flower' 'Sanhua'

Bounded Tail -  'Fuwei'

Crupper saddle adornment -'Jisheng' (parasite), also a version known as 'Fire pearl ' - 'Hounzhu'

enjoy

Valete