Chaantang Ancient Tea Horse Caravan Relics in Ninger County, Puer
Puer Chaantang Ancient Tea Horse Caravan Relics in Ninger County travel guide introduces the main attractions, entrance tickets booking, the best time to visit, how to Get there, the highlights, facts, history, photos, weather, accommodation, visiting routes, travel tips, tour maps of Chaantang Ancient Tea Horse Caravan Relics in Puer.
Chinese Name: 宁洱县茶庵塘段茶马古道
English Name: Chaantang Ancient Tea Horse Caravan Relics in Ninger County, Puer
Cha’antang section of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road
This part of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road is 8 km north from Ning’er county seat. Cha’antang was historically the first stop from Pu’er to Kunming and then northwards Beijing; its name originates from a temple called Cha’an and a checkpoint (called Xuntang in Chinese in the Qing Dynasty).
The well preserved Cha’antang section of the Road was a government funded project that was completed during 1812-1824 in order to facilitate the transportation of Puerh tea offered as tribute to the imperial court. The Qing court once arranged 5 soldiers to station here and set up a lunge (to accommodate officials), Puji Temple, Heshang Temple, Nunnery, tea house and caravansary, etc.
2 metres wide and about 5 km long, the section of Road stretches on the steep Cha’an slope on the high mountain with towering ancient trees. It is said that only birds can fly over the road so the section of the road is also called “Cha’an Birds Way”.
The road is paved with slab stones along the hills and valleys where one can see verdant vegetation, captivating sceneries and hear the chirps of birds and insects. Therefore, Cha’antang section of the ancient tea horse road was listed as one of the great eights in ancient times in Puyang (nowadays Ning’er).
茶庵塘段茶马古道距宁洱县城北8公里，茶庵塘是古时普洱府通往省城昆明、直至京城北京的第一个驿站，因设有茶庵庙，又是重要关卡汛塘，所以叫“茶庵塘”。茶庵塘茶马古道约铺建于清嘉庆十七年至道光三年（公元1812年—公元1824年）,当时是为了方便向京进贡普洱茶,由官方出资修建的，现为官马大道中保存较完好的一段。清政府曾设兵丁5名驻守，设有接官厅、普济寺、和尚庙、尼姑庵、茶馆和马店。古道宽约2米，断续长约5公里，因茶庵坡陡山高，峰危路险，古木参天，传说只有鸟儿才能飞过，所以又被称为“茶庵鸟道”。
古道用硕石和长方形条石沿着密林遮盖的山冈箐头铺设而成，沿途林木葱茂，鸟语虫吟，风光独特，为古“普阳八景”之一。清代普洱贡生舒熙盛有《茶庵鸟道》诗云：“崎岖鸟道锁雄边，一路青云直上天。木叶轻风猿穴外，藤花细雨马蹄前。山坡晓度荒村月，石栈春含野墅烟。指顾中原从此去，莺声催送祖生鞭。”诗句生动地描绘了茶庵塘驿道的雄奇惊险和运茶马帮过茶庵鸟道的情景。
