Are there any ancient routes like the Tea Horse Road and the Silk Road?

Seven-day self-guided tour of the Yunnan-Burma Highway

Zhujingjiang

The Yunnan-Burma Highway runs from Kunming to the west through Dali, winding southward to Ruili and Myanmar. Covered by the dust of history, there are gradually fewer pedestrians, silently waiting for a glorious and tragic history of the Anti-Japanese War. In the early days of World War II, in order to ensure that supplies could enter China, more than 200,000 Chinese workers (including the elderly, women, and children, as well as more than 3,000 Nanyang mechanics who returned to China to assist in the transportation of arms) used farming tools, even spoons, and their own hands to The difficult road building project was completed in less than two years. The Burma Highway was the most important lifeline on the China-Burma-India battlefield during World War II. Today, when our memories of past wars are reawakened, we might as well start again and walk the Burma Highway that circles the land of western Yunnan to find the blood and dignity of our nation.

1. Main Line

The Burma Highway starts from the Biji Golden Horse Archway in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, and goes all the way west, passing through Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture and arriving at Xiaguan, Dali, and then from Xiaguan City Roughly along the southwest direction, it passes through Baoshan, Longling, Tengchong, Luxi and other counties and cities, and finally reaches Wanding and Ruili, the border ports adjacent to China and Myanmar. This road has a total length of 960 kilometers in China. As an international highway, it continues to extend southward in Myanmar and India, reaching the outlet of the Indian Ocean. During the Anti-Japanese War, aid materials from the British, American and other allies to China were continuously transported to China's southwestern rear along this highway, and China's anti-Japanese expeditionary force to fight in Burma also rushed to the battlefield in foreign countries. However, with the passage of time, the roads in India and Myanmar have been eroded by jungles and become unclear. However, in Yunnan, this road built with earth and rammed stones has gone through wind and rain, but it still exists solidly.

This is a tragic road, but the green mountains, the setting sun of the old road, the battlefield ruins and the mixed ethnic customs along the way will make those who set foot on this road feel excited and gain a lot. In December 2002, the National Geographic magazine of the United States sent reporter Donovan Webster and photographers to go to the Burma Highway to shoot interviews. The author accompanied them throughout the entire domestic journey from the China-Myanmar border to Kunming. We hope that our personal travel experiences will be of benefit to readers who love traveling.

2. Daily itinerary

The Burma Highway runs through five states and cities in southwest Yunnan, with a total length of nearly 1,000 kilometers. If the player is not a self-guided travel fanatic who vows to "backpack and travel to the end of the world", the author recommends a travel route starting from Ruili and returning to Kunming from south to north. The main reason is that most of the highlights of the Yunnan-Burma Highway are concentrated in the Nujiang-Gaoligong Mountain area south of Dali. If tourists travel long distances from Kunming to the China-Myanmar border, they will be stranded along the way and will not be able to enjoy the majestic landscapes and history of southwest Yunnan. Vicissitudes of life. For tourists with limited travel time, although a week is not enough time, it can generally travel around the main historical sites and natural scenery of the Burma Highway. On this basis, we can broaden our horizons and make this journey more comprehensive. Be part of a larger plan to roam throughout Yunnan.

Day 1: Fly to Kunming - then fly to Mangshi - arrive in Ruili

If tourists go to Kunming, Yunnan by plane, they may wish to take an earlier flight in the morning. And before departure, buy a Yunnan Airlines ticket from Kunming to Mangshi Airport (the old name of Luxi, the capital of Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture) is "Mangshi". There are two flights from Kunming to Mangshi every day, both scheduled after 12:00 noon. In this way, after arriving at Kunming International Airport, you can directly transfer to Yunnan Airlines to go to southwest Yunnan without going into the city, and have an afternoon Time to visit Ruili.

The flight time from Kunming to Luxi is about 45 minutes. As soon as you leave the airport, there are civil flights bound for Ruili. After driving for less than two hours, a beautiful border town appeared in the dense bamboo forest. Ruili is located on the bank of the beautiful Ruili River, which means "auspicious and beautiful" in Dai language. Because it was built on the Ruili Bazi together with Muse and Nankan in Myanmar, there is a local saying of "one Bazi, two countries, three cities".

◎ Ruili is one of the three open border cities in Yunnan. It is a national port with frequent border trade and the largest jade market in Yunnan Province for you to visit.

◎ During the Anti-Japanese War, China’s largest aircraft manufacturer, Lei Yun Aircraft Repair Factory, was built in Nongdao on the outskirts of Ruili. It is closely related to the history of the Burma Highway. The ruins are still there today, and there is a monument that remembers the historical scene when Chinese fighter planes rumbled off from here.

◎ Next to Jile Village, 4 kilometers away from Ruili, there is the famous Jile Shwedagon Pagoda, which is one of the famous pagodas in Southeast Asia. It consists of 17 golden pagodas. Every year during major festivals such as the Water Splashing Festival, a three-day Buddhist pagoda ceremony is held, which is very grand and lively.

◎ Even if you relax your mind and stroll along the banks of the Ruili River, you can see the small Dai bamboo buildings dotted with railings in the depths of the bamboo forest, and the graceful Dai girls walking in and out of the water. You will also feel the tranquil and poetic charm of southwest Yunnan.

Travel Tips:

OK: If tourists don’t want to take a plane, they can also take a sleeper bus from Kunming in the evening to Luxi or Ruili. The journey time is about 24 hours and the fare is about 120 yuan.

After arriving in Ruili, you can walk around the city. To explore the surrounding areas, you can contact local travel agencies, or book a Santana car at a hotel or city bus station. The half-day fare does not exceed about 100 yuan.

Accommodation: Ruili is a port city, with good accommodation conditions and relatively cheap prices. Generally, a standard room in a relatively clean hotel ranges from 40 to 60 yuan, and a standard room in a star-rated hotel ranges from 60 to 150 yuan. Jingcheng Hotel, known as a quasi-four-star hotel, is quite famous in southwest Yunnan. From the top floor, you can overlook the panoramic view of Ruili and the jungle mountains of Myanmar.

Food: Ruili is evergreen all year round and rich in products. The food includes Dai cuisine and Jingpo cuisine, which are famous for their sour, spicy, bitter and sweet ingredients, as well as various special dishes based on tropical flowers and fruits.

Day two: One-day trip to Myanmar’s border towns

The Yunnan-Burma Highway is connected to Myanmar, so it is also a pleasure to visit our country’s neighbor Myanmar along the way. There are many travel agencies in Ruili that organize one-day tours to the China-Myanmar border. Tourists only need to hand over their ID cards to them in the evening of the day before and go through the relevant procedures. They can join a tour group that leaves early and returns early the next morning to visit Myanmar. . The cost of this kind of tour is about 200 yuan, but you should pay attention to choosing a regular travel agency.

◎ Across the wall from Ruili is Muse City in Myanmar, which is quite prosperous because of its border trade with China. Most of the products sold in the market are daily necessities produced in China, but you may also want to pay attention to some handicrafts with Myanmar characteristics such as jade and jade.

◎ There is a Buddhist temple in Muse worth visiting to experience the daily life and religious piety of the monks. As usual, we have a Burmese-style lunch at noon. Although it is not very rich, it is accompanied by songs and dances performed by men and women of all ethnic groups in Myanmar, which is quite sentimental.

◎ In the afternoon, take a bus to visit another Myanmar border town, Nankan. It is more rural than Muse, and most of the houses are bungalows or small bamboo buildings built of teak. The Nankan Giant Buddha and Mangla Temple are considered local attractions, and some of the statues telling the story of Sakyamuni becoming a Buddha are also spectacular.

◎ If you are interested, you can watch the transvestite and elephant performances at your own expense, but they are far less exciting than similar shows in Thailand and are a bit like a greenhouse.

Travel Tips:

One-day trip to the Myanmar border is not a key item of the Yunnan-Myanmar road trip. It is mainly to experience the exotic atmosphere of Southeast Asia. The cost of food, transportation and tour guide along the way are included in the tour fee. RMB can be used for shopping in Myanmar, and it is also interesting to buy a bunch of kyat coins as souvenirs. Pay attention to food hygiene and beware of fraud.

Day Three: Wanding-Luxi-Longling

Starting from today, tourists can head towards Kunming along the Burma Highway. If you are traveling with 3-4 people, the author recommends chartering a car in Ruili to Tengchong. You can not only trace the historical relics along the abandoned Yunnan-Myanmar Road, but also stop at any time to enjoy the mountains and rivers in the Hengduan Mountains.

◎ Not far from Ruili, Wanding is the smallest municipal administrative district in China. It means "the sun is at the top" in Dai language. This was once the choke point for the Burma Highway to enter Myanmar, and it was from here that the Chinese Expeditionary Force drove Japanese pirates out of the country. Take one last look at the Myanmar jungle at the bridgehead on the China-Myanmar border, then turn back and head north. You can reach Luxi (Mangshi) in less than two hours.

◎ Luxi is the capital of Dehong Prefecture. You can have lunch in the city when you arrive at noon. Famous landscapes in the city include the "Tree Package Pagoda" in the First Elementary School. A colorful pagoda is heavily wrapped by adjacent banyan trees. It is one of the few cultural relics that has survived the flames of the Anti-Japanese War. Nowadays, primary school students are playing around it, feeling a sense of the changes in the world. Mr. Ma Lian, the owner of the snow lotus craft shop outside the "Shu Baota", is a well-known musician and calligrapher. If you can discuss art and jade with him, you will definitely gain something. You can also visit the Bodhi Temple in the city, which is famous for its collection of "Buddha's Tooth", murals, paper-cuts, scriptures and other treasures.

◎ Starting from Luxi, it is best to insert a section of the old Burma Highway that has not been repaired with asphalt. This road is still paved with neat gravel, just like it did more than 60 years ago. When passing through Xiangguntang Township, you can ask the villagers about it, and you can also visit some old people who have participated in road construction to learn some real stories about the Burma Highway.

◎ It is about 30 kilometers from Luxi to Longling. Although Longling County is located in the mountains, it is very refreshing and clean, and the temperature is several degrees lower than elsewhere. There is a bunker built by the Japanese army in the city, embedded in the bottom floor of a high-rise building, which records the history of the Longling Battle. In Longling, you can stop at Banglazhang Hot Spring Resort. This hot spring is known as "the best hot spring in western Yunnan" and can wash away the dust of the journey.

Travel Tips:

OK: The daily cost of chartering a car from Ruili is about 200 yuan, you can negotiate with the driver. You can also take the shuttle bus to Luxi and Longling, the fare is 20-0 yuan. However, the shuttle bus route will no longer pass through the old Yunnan-Myanmar Road, which will cause some loss in personal experience of military and history.

Accommodation: The price of hotels in Longling County ranges from tens to one hundred yuan, and the prices in Bangla Zhang Hot Spring Resort are also fair. You can call 0875-6129060 to confirm the room and other matters in advance.

Food: Dehong Prefecture's famous "fire-roasted suckling pig", which uses Dehong's specialty small-eared pigs, removes the internal organs, stuffs them with various spices, grills them over low heat until they are brown, and spreads wet straw ash on them until the skin is fragrant. Meat crispy.

Day 4: Songshan Battlefield - Huitong Bridge - Tengchong

Longling is surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery.

Songshan, the most famous anti-Japanese battlefield in the Western Yunnan War, is located in Lameng Township, about 60 kilometers northeast of the county. The entire Songshan Mountain stretches for more than 20 kilometers, with the main peak at an altitude of 2,200 meters. It is known as the "Gibraltar of the Burma Highway". In the Battle of Songshan in 1994, the Chinese Expeditionary Force wiped out more than 3,000 enemies and conquered this military commanding heights.

It is the best-preserved Anti-Japanese War battlefield site in China.

◎ There is a cemetery and monument for fallen soldiers at the foot of Songshan Mountain. We should pay our respects solemnly to commemorate the 6,000 soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country. In the pine forests all over the mountain, you can see the trenches, fortifications and numerous bomb craters built by the Japanese army. Along the way, there are stone tablets indicating the location and course of the bloody battle between the Chinese and Japanese armies, which is exciting. At the front of the old battlefield, you can see the Nu River in the distance.

◎ Continuing from Songshan to the northeast, driving bumpily on the old Yunnan-Myanmar Road, you will soon reach the Huitong Bridge, an iron cable bridge across the Nu River. This bridge was blown up by the Chinese army during the Anti-Japanese War, preventing the Japanese army from continuing to invade the east. The water flow of the Nu River is gentle and crystal clear, and monkeys can be seen chasing and playing in the woods on the other side of the river.

◎ Returning from Huitong Bridge, you can go directly to Tengchong from a gravel road in the middle. Tengchong is not the main road of the Burma Highway, but the gateway to another wartime artery - the China-India Highway. Arriving in Tengchong around the afternoon, you can visit the National Memorial Cemetery on the edge of the city. The cemetery was built in 1944, was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and was rebuilt in the 1980s. A hill is covered with tombstones of fallen soldiers, which is particularly solemn under the setting sun. If you have plenty of time, you can also visit Heshun Township, 3 kilometers west of the city. The quaint folk houses and the modest and elegant villagers show their cultural qualities. The exquisite and elegant Heshun Library was first built in 1929. It is the earliest and largest library established in Chinese towns. It used to be the headquarters of the Chinese Expeditionary Force during the Anti-Japanese War, and is still a cultural symbol that Heshun people are proud of.

Travel Tips:

OK: If you take a long-distance bus to visit Songshan, you need to take the shuttle bus in the direction of Longling-Lameng and Shidian. If funds are limited, Tengchong can be the end point of the chartered trip. The journey thereafter is relatively straight and can be completed by taking a long-distance bus.

Accommodation: In Tengchong, you can stay at the Atami Hot Spring Resort and use the hot springs to wash away the hard work and dust of the journey again.

Food: At the crossroads from Songshan to Tengchong, there is a restaurant called Huakai Bubai, which is very cozy and reasonably priced. Tengchong's famous snack "Dajiujia" is worth trying. There is a "Xinhua Bookstore Canteen" in the city that tastes authentic, but it is located in a remote place, so you have to patiently ask the locals for specific directions.

Day 5: Tengchong - Baoshan - Dali

In the morning, after seeing the wonders of the volcano and Atami, it is time to continue along the Burma Highway. Baoshan City is 160 kilometers east, and you have to cross two large rivers, Ruili River and Nujiang River. Baoshan was already at the rear of the Anti-Japanese War in Western Yunnan and suffered large-scale air raids by the Japanese army, resulting in over 10,000 casualties. Today, as the regional capital, the city is quite prosperous and prosperous.

◎ Tengchong Hot Sea is famous far and wide. The most typical one is the "big rolling pot" with a diameter of more than 3 meters and a water depth of 1.5 meters. The water temperature can reach 97 degrees. It rolls day and night and transpires all year round.

◎ The Baoshan Museum has a large collection of cultural relics from the Anti-Japanese War in Western Yunnan, such as artillery shells, firearms, helmets, etc., all collected from the private sector. The book "The Battle of Western Yunnan of the Chinese Expeditionary Force" edited by the museum is rich in pictures and texts, and is the best book of this kind in China. After lunch in Baoshan, you can go along the Baoshan-Dali Expressway to Dali, the largest transfer station on the Burma Highway.

◎ Dali Ancient City is a United Nations World Cultural Heritage and an early developed tourist area in Yunnan. The ancient houses in the city and the Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake outside the city are both world-famous. Domestic and foreign tourists gather here, and the bars on the "Foreigner Street" are full of guests all day long. Tourists can make a choice here: either head east to Kunming, or head northwest to Lijiang Ancient Town. Since our Yunnan-Burma Highway must go eastward, friends who are planning to visit the secret land of northwest Yunnan may wish to wait until we introduce the "Ancient Tea Horse Road" before discussing it.

Travel Tips:

Travel: There are regular buses from Tengchong to Baoshan and Baoshan to Dali. The Baoda Expressway was opened to traffic not long ago and often intersects with the Burma Highway. You can feel the traces of the connection between the past and the present.

Accommodation: When visiting Dali, you should still stay in the ancient city to experience the nightlife where modern and ancient are blended together, as well as Chinese and foreign. There are many hotels and inns of various price ranges in the ancient city of Dali, and the prices will change according to the low and peak tourist seasons.

Food: Try the unique food of the Bai people in Dali.

Day 6: Dali - Kunming

The Anti-Japanese War sites around Dali include Qinghua Cave and Yunnan Station, as well as countless historical and cultural landscapes. The total length from Dali to Kunming is more than 300 kilometers, with both straight expressways and the old Burma Highway. The former can naturally reach the destination quickly, while the latter enjoys enjoying the pure natural scenery among mountains and rivers.

◎ Spend a morning wandering along the Erhai Lake in Cangshan Mountain, boating on the lake, or visiting the elegant Bai folk villages. The scenery of Dali has already been comprehensively introduced by various travel guides, so there is no need for the author to elaborate on it.

◎ After lunch, drive to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province and the end point of the Burma Highway. Due to the long journey, I spent an entire afternoon in the car.

You might as well savor the changes in Yunnan's scenery. Whether it is mountains, rivers, vegetation, folk houses, or ethnic groups, they are all colorful along this road.

Travel Tips:

OK: High-speed long-distance buses should be a more ideal choice; there are very few shuttle buses that take the old Yunnan-Myanmar Road. If you insist on walking the whole distance of the old road, chartering a bus is probably the best option. Must.

Accommodation: Kunming has many accommodation options, ranging from five-star hotels to youth hostels. Tourists should book in advance during peak season to avoid wasting time and energy.

Food: Kunming famous delicacies such as steam pot chicken and cross-bridge rice noodles are must-try. Yunnan hot pot and barbecue are also popular local specialties.

Day 7: Kunming - End

Kunming is the capital of Yunnan Province and has the style of a metropolis. Travelers may wish to take some time to buy some local Yunnan specialties, such as Tuocha tea, arabica coffee, etc., as gifts for relatives and friends. You can visit Kunming's traditional attractions such as Dianchi Lake and Green Lake. The Provincial Museum often holds free academic activities such as documentary exhibitions and cultural lectures. If you have the opportunity, you might as well attend one. Kunming is like spring all year round, especially in autumn and winter, which makes people feel comfortable and not homesick.

◎ The Yunnan Lecture Hall on the bank of the green lake reveals the general's demeanor despite his late years. Long Yun, the founder of the Burma Highway, and Zhu De, the founder of the Chinese Red Army, were both graduates of this military academy. The mottled walls record a century of Chinese military history.

◎ The Jade Rooster and Golden Horse Archway is the city symbol of Kunming and the "triumphal arch" where the Chinese Expeditionary Force triumphed. The two archways rebuilt in 1998 are magnificent. It is both the starting point and the end point. The seven-day journey on the Burma Road ends here, which has special significance in crossing history and reality.

3. Route Comments

Unlike many tourist areas in Yunnan that are famous for their ethnic minorities or historical and cultural customs, more traces of the war more than 60 years ago remain along the Burma Highway. . Songshan, Tengchong, Luxi and other places still preserve many battlefield sites from the Second World War: trenches, bunkers, underground fortifications, as well as old houses and villages that have been attacked by artillery fire. They can all be a reminder of the glorious feat of the Chinese army in the bloody battle in western Yunnan and expelling the Japanese pirates. ; Most of the museums in various places display war relics such as cannonballs, bayonets, firearms, and helmets, and many ordinary farmers also collect such ancient military items, and some have even been transformed into daily tools such as water jars and tea cans. Some gray-haired witnesses of history are still alive. From their eyes and words, we can vaguely imagine the iron will of the people who worked together to build roads and kill the enemy.

In addition to its military and historical tourism value, the Burma Highway is also comparable to Yunnan with its diverse ethnic distribution, unique natural wonders, delicious and cheap local dishes, and exotic customs beyond the border. Other tourist attractions. Since most of the towns we pass along the way (except Dali) are not popular tourist spots, we can more quietly appreciate the landscape, appreciate the unmodified and simple folk customs, and leave ourselves and history on the Yunnan-Myanmar Highway paved with wild stones. Linked footprints.

4. Full cost

If two people travel together, the total cost from departure from Kunming to return to Kunming will be approximately no more than 2,800 yuan per person

Among them: the accommodation cost does not exceed 600 yuan

the transportation cost does not exceed 1,200 yuan (including air tickets from Kunming-Mangshi Airport and the cost of chartering a car for three days)

the food cost does not exceed 560 yuan

The cost of tickets (including a one-day trip to Myanmar) and other miscellaneous items does not exceed 440 yuan

In fact, in terms of cost, the saying goes, "It depends on the person." If you save a little, you can complete the entire journey within about 2,000 yuan. If you want to improve the comfort, more than 3,000 yuan is already very luxurious. Real travelers measure the value of their journey with their heart rather than money. Let’s pack up our bags and hit the road.