For Li Anping, a visit to the Sino-Russian Tea Road, or the ten thousand li (5,000 kilometers) tea road that saw tea from East China's Fujian province carried all the way to Mongolia and Russia, is more than simple travel but a journey of learning and practice.
Li, president of Shanxi Zhendong Group that specializes in functional food and agricultural development, took part in the Revisiting the Sino-Russian Ten Thousand Li Tea Road event launched by the Shanxi Taiyuan Jin Merchant Museum on April 22, as a representative of a new generation of Jin merchants of Shanxi province.
"North China's Shanxi province didn't plant tea, but the old Jin merchants of the province sold Chinese tea around the world three hundred years ago," said Li, adding that the old generations of Jin merchants topped business groups in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) in China due to their persistence, innovation, and good reputation.
The route along which old Shanxi merchants were the major force behind the tea business started from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian province, the birth place of many of China's renowned teas, and extended through China to Mongolia and Russia. Tea was sold along the pathway from the 17th century.
"By revisiting the route, we want to study how the old Jin merchants developed their business and build the image of a new-generation of Jin merchants of Shanxi province," said Li.
Jin merchants have declined in modern times. Local merchants especially operate businesses that are no more glorious than those of former generations.
The event included participation by major cities along the Tea Road, seeking to discover Jin merchants' ancient culture and success.
