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The Tea Horse Road – The Grace

Feb 6, 2019
1 min

The Tea Horse Road – The Grace

A little moment of respite for our incredible hostess who remains still, one of most formidable characters in my memory palace. While running around researching the Tea Horse Road, a friend who was from the Yi minority invited me to meet his grandmother, who had lucid memories of the old trade route. As much as the time with her was about tea and the route itself – which steamed through her region near Xiaguan, Yunnan, – she herself became a kind of all-encompassing subject o

Puerh and its Other Worlds – Still There

Sep 7, 2018
7 min

Puerh and its Other Worlds – Still There

Puerh – The Forest Journeying back into Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna for a later than usual annual immersion into Puerh sourcing, learning and into the clay-heavy heartland of Puerh cultivation. Joined on this journey by Sofie Vercauteren who has been on a months’ long set of immersions into teas’ people, their methods, and into the zones where the glorious green stimulant grows. There is much around Puerh in particular that is linked to the land and this trip reveals some of those

Tea Explorer Extended Run – On CBC’s Doc Channel

Sep 9, 2017
2 min

Tea Explorer Extended Run – On CBC’s Doc Channel

We’re delighted to announce that our documentary film The Tea Explorer film is getting an additional airing on Sunday Sept, 10th at 9 pm ET/10 PT on CBC’s Doc Channel in Canada. Best taken with a cup of leaves and water in close proximity to the hand. I’ve been hearing from people in the US about the film being shown on AWE tv as well. Below a couple of the inspiring characters when telling the story of the Tea Horse Road. Mother of Ajo of Litang and known to many as simply a

Moments with an Aging Classic – Bada at 10 years

Aug 12, 2017
5 min

Moments with an Aging Classic – Bada at 10 years

“Forget about worrying about age. Forget it! If a tea isn’t made well, it isn’t going to become better. It is just going to age”. Teacher, Provocateur and wonderful palate for all things tea…at work in one of his many playgrounds: the Bulang Mountains One of the many voices that have counselled and often chided me comes from Mr. Li from Guangdong. Buyer of exceptional teas throughout China for collectors for decades, he runs a teashop that specializes in teas that are simply

Pu erh Tea and its Precious Pickers

Mar 12, 2016
3 min

Pu erh Tea and its Precious Pickers

There is much made of a tea’s geographic designation, its altitude, its harvest season, and its growers…and there should be! The earth, the temperate surroundings and the handlers and coaxers of the leaves are to be thanked and acknowledged. Within the Bulang Mountain’s ancient tree forests in southwestern Yunnan. Every effort and breath within the mountains and forests, every little build up to harvest time matters. Harvesting for the purists is a time not simply when leaves

Pu erh’s Needed Basics

Feb 18, 2016
11 min

Pu erh’s Needed Basics

“Discussions about a specific tea should be left until during and after the sipping and too many words simply lead one to question the speaker”. – Ms. Lu, Tea Master – Kunming Pu erh in its ripe or ‘Shou’ version. Artificially aged with bacteria and humidity. Shaped teas were and still are common in the Pu erh world, though not all Pu erh is formed or moulded. There is always time for a little ‘destruction’ when too much mystification takes hold. This applies to everything fr

Mountains and Their Precious Rivers

Mar 10, 2015
1 min

Mountains and Their Precious Rivers

Returning to northwestern Yunnan’s snow-clad mountains and their precious waterways. We’ll wander up the Salween River (pronounced Gyalmo Gyul Chu and written རྒྱལ་མོ་རྔུལ་ཆུ། in Tibetan) to the eastern extension of the Himalayas and a slow route south along portions of both the Mekong (pronounced Dza Chu in Tibetan and written རྫ་ཆུ) and Yangtze (Ma Chu at the source and written རྨ་ཆུ) Rivers. All of these waterways find their way off of the Tibetan Plateau and collectively

May 10, 2013
1 min

Tom Carter’s China Anthology: “Unsavory Elements” – Stories of foreigners on

Proud to be a contributor to this spirited and very ‘now’ book on China’s potent ‘present’ tense. Book now available from Earnshaw Books. Here’s what “That’s Shanghai” Magazine had to say… http://www.thatsmags.com/shanghai/article/view/14672 My own contribution inevitably centres upon the Tea Horse Road and one of the precious elders who’s memory holds some of the precious colour of the times of tea and of trade Another elder, Another tale #TeaHorseRoad #China #Himalayantrave

Mupa, Nyima, and Songjè – (Cloud, Sun, and Songjè)

Oct 9, 2012
11 min

Mupa, Nyima, and Songjè – (Cloud, Sun, and Songjè)

The word for mist, clouds, and fog in many Tibetan regions is the same: mupa. Mupa is what engulfs us and sucks us all into itself and into a world of soft focused hues and biting wind. Rain slices in from the east – our destination lies east – cutting into us making the route slick and slippery. Every little stone body becomes little skid-pads of ice. A little morning fun Taking a high route that is slightly more precarious early on, we make high ground where we at least hav

Sep 30, 2012
1 min

A Sacred Lake and the Horseman

One of the heroes of my last journey, completed on September 26th in northwestern Yunnan. A face, a voice, and hands of stone to match, he keeps alive a tradition of vibrant mountain culture Upcoming post is based on a recently completed journey up a mountain in northwestern Yunnan with a brilliant group of students…and an icon of the mountains, local horseman Sangjè. Hands of steel, a voice that silences and the requisite face of leather. Coming soon! #TeaHorseRoad #AsiaTrav

“Yunnan Tea Road” Article in award winning TRVL

Sep 16, 2012
1 min

“Yunnan Tea Road” Article in award winning TRVL

Arriving back to Zhongdian (aka Shangri-La) to wet, hints of snow in the surrounding mountains, and the usual fun and games getting up-to-date with the goings on in our old town. Building goes on, buildings go up and the sound of band saws now competes day and night with the local collection of canines for title of undisputed champion of decibels. However the route may be called, whether it be the Tea Horse Road, the Tea Caravan route, the Horse Tea Route, or even simply the

Prostration and the Town of Thieves

Nov 21, 2011
6 min

Prostration and the Town of Thieves

Mountains and the worship of them are everywhere along the route Jana is one of those towns that looks to be embarrassed with itself, somehow inward looking with its newly built homes falling into disrepair and a winding dusty road that is littered with refuse. We one depart it one happy morning marching up once again and I for one am happy to be rid of its dusty and confused presence. The Kawa Karpo pilgrimage can be described as a cultural odyssey of relentless ups and down

Nov 13, 2011
1 min

Wild China Explorer Grant for 2012

Applications for the WildChina Explorer Grant due soon! By: WildChina | Categories: Adventure Travel in China Sustainable Travel WildChina Experts WildChina Explorer Grant Interested in exploring forgotten villages in Guizhou? Have a passion for the traditional art of rug weaving from Xinjiang? Itching to retrace a famous route? If so, you better act quickly! The WildChina Explorer Grant application deadline is fast approaching! Potential applicants have until November 15, 20

A Nomadic Mountain and a Yak God – Genyen and Brongri

Oct 21, 2011
5 min

A Nomadic Mountain and a Yak God – Genyen and Brongri

One of the memorable faces that reside close to five kilometres in the sky near Genyen Brongri is a mountain god that is only called upon when nomadic disputes have reached a level when they cannot be solved by the mortal will. It should be noted that the Tibetan nomadic mortal will, whether in pursuit of good or not, can be a very substantial force of nature. Brongri’s invitation to settle is only issued when things have reached an untenable level…when blood ‘letting’ is an