Yanjing Ancient Salt Field

In Yanjing Town, Mangkang County, Changdu City, Tibet, nestled on the cliffs along the Lancang River, lies a breathtaking ancient cultural landscape—the Yanjing Ancient Salt Fields. Located 120 kilometers from Mangkang County at an altitude of 2300 meters, it is Tibet's only preserved salt industry heritage using the original, complete method of salt production. With a history of over 1300 years, it was included in the tentative list of World Cultural Heritage sites in 2019 and is hailed as a "living fossil on the banks of the Lancang River." The scale of the salt fields is truly spectacular. Thousands of salt fields are built along the banks of the Lancang River, cascading down the mountainside in a harmonious and orderly fashion, covering a total area of ​​over 3000 square meters. Using timber frames and earthen bases, the square salt ponds spread out like steps along the riverbank. From a high vantage point, the red and white salt fields contrast beautifully with the emerald green river and brown cliffs, creating a unique highland canyon landscape. The salt here is divided into "red salt" and "white salt": the salt from the western salt fields, due to the high copper content of the soil, is light red and commonly known as "peach blossom salt"; the salt from the eastern salt fields is pure white and has a finer texture. Both types of salt have their own unique flavor and carry different edible and medicinal values. The unique salt-making process is the soul of the ancient salt fields. Salt farmers use traditional techniques unchanged for thousands of years, first drawing highly saline brine from salt springs in a tributary of the Lancang River, then channeling the brine through bamboo pipes into their own salt fields. After evaporation under sunlight and natural crystallization, the salt is finally harvested. The entire process is done by hand; from drawing and transporting the brine to harvesting the salt, every step embodies the wisdom and hard work of the salt farmers. March to May is the golden period for salt production, with ample sunshine and suitable winds. The brine evaporates in the salt fields, and the salt farmers work busily, creating a vibrant picture of agricultural civilization. This cultural integration adds a profound depth to the ancient salt fields. Yanjing was an important stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Caravans once traversed this area, transporting salt to various parts of Tibet, bringing with them a collision of diverse cultures. It is a frontier of Tibetan-Han cultural exchange, with salt farmers including both Tibetans and Naxi people who have lived together harmoniously for generations, passing down the art of salt production. The surrounding area features both a Catholic church and Tibetan Buddhist temples, forming a unique religious and cultural landscape. Local delicacies such as "Yanjing Jiajia Noodles" and "Salt-baked Foods" bring out the best in the flavor of salt, becoming important symbols of local culture. Today, the ancient salt fields of Yanjing maintain their living tradition, with dozens of salt farmers persevering and ensuring the continuation of this thousand-year-old craft. The scenic area preserves the original salt field landscape and features a folk experience hall where visitors can observe the salt-making process up close, experience the fun of brine extraction and salt harvesting, and taste unique salt-based foods. Strolling along the salt field boardwalk, touching the mottled salt ponds, and listening to the shouts of the salt workers and the rushing river, one can feel the resilience and brilliance of the millennium-old salt industry civilization amidst the fusion of history and reality, and decipher the cultural codes of the Ancient Tea Horse Road.