在云南的高山与深谷之间,道路的延伸与一望无际的中原有着很大的不同。来过这里的人会发现,“山重水复疑无路”是行走在云南大地上最普遍的感受。以至于在一个相当漫长的时期,人们误以为古老中国最初与外界的联系,靠的是那条起自西安、横贯欧亚大陆的闻名世界的“丝绸之路”。事实上,在张骞出使西域开辟“丝绸之路”之前的几个世纪,横穿云南并最终抵达印度的茶马古道就顽强地传递着东西方文明。公元前322年建立的印度孔雀王朝的两部重要著作《政事论》和《摩奴法典》中,就已有“支那”及“丝”的记载。而茶成为世界第一饮料以及公元前5世纪凯撒大帝身着丝绸盛装出现在王公贵族面前引起朝野震动的记载,更是茶马古道沟通东西传递文明的有力佐证。但是这一条条在云南崇山峻岭中艰难穿行的古道,因其道路的重重险阻而不为外人所知,甚至那些编纂史书的人也不愿提及它。因此,人类历史上最古老、最艰险、也最漫长的茶马古道,只能在中国历史的深处,隐隐约约极不自信地延伸着。 Between the mountains and deep valleys of Yunnan, the extension of the road is quite different from the endless Zhongyuan. People who have been here will find that “there is no doubt that there is no road to water in the mountains” is the most common feeling of walking on the earth in Yunnan. At a fairly long period of time, people mistakenly thought that the initial connection between the ancient China and the outside world was based on the famous “Silk Road” in Xi’an, which runs across Eurasia. In fact, during the centuries before Zhang Qian’s mission to open up the “Silk Road” in the western region, the “Ancient Tea Horse Road” that crossed Yunnan and finally arrived in India stubbornly transmitted the Eastern and Western civilizations. In the two major works of the Indian Peacock dynasty founded in 322 BC, “Political Theory” and “Manu Code”, there are already “Chinalina” and “Silk” records. The tea became the world’s first drink and the fifth century BC Caesar dressed in silk costume appeared in front of kings and nobility caused by the record of the ruling and opposition parties, but also the ancient Tea Horse and Horse Road to communicate the evidence of civilization to transmit things. However, this section of the trail, which is difficult to walk through the mountains of Yunnan, is not known to outsiders because of the numerous obstacles in its path. Even those who compile history books are reluctant to mention it. Therefore, the ancient, most dangerous and most prolific Tea-Horse Road in human history can only be vaguely and unconsciously extended in the depths of Chinese history.