1. Journey from Mangkang County to Yanjing
The distance from Mangkang County town to Yanjing is approximately 120 kilometers. Yanjing serves as the first small town on the Yunnan-Tibet Highway upon entering Tibet and has been historically significant as a crucial passageway between Tubo (Tibetan Empire) and Nanzhao (a kingdom in ancient China), as well as a vital route for transporting tea from Yunnan to Tibet. Yanjing is divided into Upper Yanjing and Lower Yanjing; the former is predominantly Tibetan and Catholic, while the latter mainly comprises the Naxi ethnicity, with followers of Tibetan Buddhism and the Dongba religion.
2. Salt Industry in Lower Yanjing
In Lower Yanjing, over 70 households specialize in salt production. The salt produced here is primarily sold to regions including Zogang, Mangkang, Chayu in Tibet, as well as Deqin and Lijiang in Yunnan, and Batang and Litang in Sichuan.
3. Yanjing’s Historical Significance
Historically, Yanjing was a strategically contested area. The battle of Jiangling, depicted in the epic of King Gesar, narrates a war over salt ponds between the Naxi king and King Gesar of Ling. During the Ming Dynasty, Yanjing was occupied by the Naxi kingdom, and many locals today are descendants of the Naxi soldiers from that era.
4. The Yanjing Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall on the Tea Horse Road
Situated along the National Highway 214 in the Yanjing Naxi Ethnic Township, the “China Tea Horse Road Tibet Yanjing Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall” covers an area of 1,500 square meters. It features two main exhibition halls with themes “The Ancient Road and Millennium Salt Fields” and “Snow Land Jewel · Plateau Scenery,” encompassing 24 units, three sets of large outdoor sculptures, displaying over 400 photographs, and more than 150 items of relevant cultural relics, materials, and objects. The exhibition also incorporates six high-tech display methods, including multimedia, animation, electronic touch screens, and film, with a designed exhibition line of approximately 160 meters.
These insights provide a fascinating glimpse into the rich history and cultural heritage of Mangkang County and Yanjing, offering travelers a unique and enriching experience.
