中国是茶的故乡。茶叶深深融入中国人生活，成为传承中华文化的重要载体。从古代丝绸之路、茶马古道、茶船古道，到今天丝绸之路经济带、21世纪海上丝绸之路，茶穿越历史、跨越国界，深受世界各国人民喜爱。 

China is the home of tea. Tea found its way into the lives of the Chinese and became a major carrier by which Chinese culture is imparted. Tea is popular with people of various countries, from the ancient Silk Road, the Tea Horse Road and the Tea Boat Road, to today's Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, traveled in history and crossed borders.  

——2017年5月18日习近平总书记向首届中国国际茶叶博览会致贺信强调

——An excerpt from President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to the 1st China International Tea Expo, May 18, 2017

中国是茶的故乡、茶文化的发祥地。在历史上，有这样一条悠长的千年古道：它蜿蜒于川、滇、藏地区的崇山峻岭间；它以茶为媒，促进了茶文化的传播和沿途地区的经贸发展，推动了我国各民族交往交流交融。它就是茶马古道。

China is the birthplace of tea and its culture. In Chinese history, there was a thousand-year-old road, winding through the high mountains in Sichuan, Yunnan and Xizang. It served as a route for tea trade, boosted the spread of tea culture and the economic and trade development of regions along the route. It also promoted interaction and integration between different ethnic groups in China. And that was the ancient Tea Horse Road.

“茶之为物，西域吐蕃，古今皆仰信之。以其腥肉之物，非茶不消；青稞之热,非茶不解。”历史上，生活在青藏高原地区的各族居民饮食大多以肉类和乳制品为主。茶叶含有特殊的微量元素，有解油腻、助消化等功效，是高原居民重要的生活物资。藏族人有“宁可一日无食，不可一日无茶”之说，可见茶的重要性。

"Tea is of special significance for people living in the Western Regions and Xizang, for nothing but help digest meat and highland barley." Historically, inhabitants of different ethnic groups on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau lived mainly on meat and milk products. Tea contains special trace elements that work to dissolve grease and help digest, making it crucial for the inhabitants. The importance of tea to Tibetans is suggested in their saying that "One would rather eat nothing than having no tea for a single day."

然而，青藏高原不是产茶区，因此便有了不远千里将四川、云南等地的茶叶运往西藏的茶商马帮。马帮到达西藏后，再将当地所产的马匹等物资带回内地，形成了双向的经贸交流。如此年复一年，茶马古道便兴盛起来。

But tea does not grow on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, and there thus emerged horse caravans to transport tea produced in Sichuan, Yunnan to Xizang. In return, they got horses and other products in Xizang as a two-way trade. Year in and year out, the Tea Horse Road thrived.

茶马古道历史悠久。宋代战争频繁，战马是稀缺的军事物资，茶马互市逐渐发展，当时的朝廷还设立了茶马司专门管理茶马交易。此后，茶马互市一直受到朝廷重视，明清时期在多个地方设立茶马司，这都在客观上促进了茶马古道的繁荣。

The ancient Tea Horse Road has a long history. The Song dynasty has frequent wars, when warhorses were a scarce military supply, so the barter trade between tea and horse gradually developed. It was so important that the imperial court established a Horse Trading Office to oversee the barter trade. From then on, tea and horse trade was always taken seriously by the imperial court. During the Ming and Qing dynasties(1368-1912AD), the Horse Trading Offices were set up in various local areas as well. All these are important conditions for the prosperity of the Tea Horse Road.

对于青藏高原上的人民来说，茶马古道带去了中原的茶叶等物资，不仅丰富了物质生活，也促进了经济发展，增进了各族人民的友谊。在格萨尔史诗中，歌颂茶马贸易、汉藏友谊的诗句比比皆是。

For the inhabitants on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, tea and other supplies from the Central Plains transported there through the Tea Horse Road, had not only added variety to their material life but also boosted economic development and enhanced friendship among different ethnic groups. In the Epic of King Gesar, there were many verses lauding tea and horse trade and Han-Tibetan friendship.

茶马古道还促进了文化交流。一方面，内地的茶文化、建筑文化、器物文化等，通过茶马古道传播到了边疆地区；另一方面，具有鲜明特色的边疆文化也通过茶马古道传到了内地，比如马球文化。马球是藏族传统体育项目，唐朝时随着茶马古道传入中原，深受宫廷贵族喜爱，并逐渐流行开来。

The ancient Tea Horse Road also promoted cultural exchanges. On the one hand, tea, architecture, wares and other cultures of inland were introduced to the border areas via the Tea Horse Road; and on the other hand, cultures of the border areas also spread through the route to the inland such as polo. It is a traditional Tibetan sport, spreading via the Tea Horse Road to Central Plains during the Tang Dynasty, which was popular among the royal nobles and beyond.

茶马古道被誉为“马蹄踏出的辉煌”。由于沿途地区地势险峻、自然环境恶劣，从事茶马贸易的商人往往结成商帮共克险阻。同时，茶马古道沿途所经地区多为民族地区，茶商马帮也往往由汉、藏、白、回、彝、纳西、普米、傈僳等多民族组成。他们相依共存、团结协作，形成了独具特色的生活方式，培养出吃苦耐劳、勇于探索的马帮精神，共同构成了茶马古道上流动的文化载体。

The Tea Horse Road has been heralded as "a glory beaten by horse hooves". Merchants engaged in the tea and horse trade usually traveled by horse caravans for the harsh geographical condition and poor environment along the way. And the horse caravan was often composed of people from various ethnic groups including the Han, the Tibetan, the Bai, the Hui, the Yi, the Naxi, the Pumi, and the Lisu etc. They worked with and depended on each other, forming a distinctive way of life that demanded endurance and courage, and altogether constituted a moving cultural carrier along the Road.

云南省普洱市宁洱哈尼族彝族自治县同心镇那柯里村是茶马古道上的一个驿站，也是哈尼、彝、傣、汉等多民族共同生活的村落。2008年，习近平同志来到那柯里村茶马驿站，和群众深入交流。此后，宁洱县牢记嘱托，以茶为源、以道为始、以民为本，对那柯里进行重点打造，现在的那柯里产业聚集、文化繁荣、生态优美、特色彰显，已成为宜居宜业宜游的美丽乡村。

Nakeli Village in Tongxin Town, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County of Pu'er City in Yunnan Province, was once a staging post on the Tea Horse Road and it is a village where various ethnic groups live including the Hani, the Yi, the Dai, and the Han etc. In 2008, President Xi Jinping came to Nakeli Village and talked with villagers. Afterwards, Ning'er County made targeted efforts in renovation of the village, as advised by the President. With focus on the tea culture and the Tea Horse Road and emphasis on the people, Nakeli has become a beautiful village with a cluster of industries, a flourishing culture and a beautiful environment, also doubling as a tourist destination.

中国历史演进的特点，造就了各民族在分布上的交错杂居、文化上的兼收并蓄、经济上的相互依存、情感上的相互亲近，形成了你中有我、我中有你、谁也离不开谁的多元一体格局。茶马古道将沿途各民族紧紧联系在一起，是各民族经济、文化、情感上相依相存，你中有我、我中有你的历史见证和生动写照。

The historical development of China is featured with the mixed living of ethnic groups, and their cultural inclusiveness, economic dependence, and emotional affinity. All ethnic groups have formed into a diversified yet inseparable unity. The Tea Horse Road linking the ethnic groups along the route closely is a historical testament to, and a vivid portrayal of, their inter-dependence and attachment in terms of economy, culture and emotion.