Heshun Museum of Big Horse Caravan is located in Heshun Old Town, Tengchong City. The museum obtaining more than 3,000 cultural relics shows the life scenes of the local horse caravan as part of the history on the Southwest Silk Road.
Culture of horse caravan
Heshun is adjacent to Myanmar. For more than 2,500 years, the Southwest Silk Road has connected China with South Asia, Southeast Asia, and European and American countries. Many traditional business thrive on this ancient road.
The Heshun people went out for business for generations, and they used the horse caravans as the main transportation way. A number of the great merchants such as the King of Emerald, the King of Cotton Yarn, and the King of Grain appeared here.
The main transportation method on the Northern Silk Road was through camels, while the the horses on the Southern Silk Road. The leader of the horse caravan is called Ma Guotou. For more than two thousand years, Ma Guotou has led the caravan, brought the goods, and spread China's cultures to other countries, making great contributions to the human civilizations.
According to the document, Southern Silk Road lasts more than two hundred years, which is longer than the Northern Silk Road. It was opened as early as in the Warring States Period. When Zhang Yin was served as an envoy to the Western Regions, he discovered that there were a large number of the Chinese goods such as cloths and sticks, which were sold through the Southern Silk Road.
The Southern Silk Road starts in Chengdu and reaches to Dali via Yibin, Zhaotong, Qujing, Kunming, Chuxiong, and Nanhua. It is called Wuchi Road. Another section is from Chengdu to Dali via Qionglai, Ya'an, Lingguan, Xichang, and Yao'an. This section is called "Lingguan Road". After the two sections merge at Dali together, they head westward, passing through Baoshan and Tengchong, leading to Myanmar. The section from Baoshan to Myanmar is called "Yongchang Road".
Tengchong is an important town on this road while Heshun is just like a jewel on this road. This road connects with wealth, culture, diplomacy and religion.
Heshun Museum of Big Horse Caravan has two main parts. The first part of the museum tells the details and life-style of the horse caravans. The second part talks about the history of ancient Tengchong Town on the Southwest Silk Road.