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Insight Asia

Asian Corridor in Heaven

< The Last Horse Caravan >

This is a crossing found in
the eastern part of the Himalayas.

The snow-capped mountain peaks

rise high in between the ravine.

There are those who travel
along the road that lies here.

They are the stablemen.

This road runs across
the deep gorges of the area and

is also called the
"road for birds and mice".

This indicates that only birds
and mice can pass by.

It's probably the narrowest
and steepest of its kind.

The road runs through places that are
thought to be impossible to pass.

There are even passages that have been
carved along the vertical rock wall.

No one knows who or
when these roads were made.

For thousands of years,
it's likely that these stablemen

have made their way here,
creating the path.

The single file line comes to
a halt suddenly.

There is a single rope that
these people must use to cross

along the gorge at Nu River.

The river is too rough to cross by boat.

Since long ago, the stablemen

have crossed the river using
this single rope called the Ryushui.

It's time for the horses to cross.

Even the lead horse is hesitant
when it comes to crossing the river.

It seems to be afraid.

Ever since the old days,
crossing the river was

the hardest task for the stablemen
on their journeys.

There were many men and horses
that had died during the crossing.

The rivers of Jinsha, Lancang, and Nu.
Great gorges have been created

by these three rivers that run across
the rough mountains.

This region is called the

"Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected
Areas," a very dangerous place.

The stablemen have done
their best to create roads and

overcome obstacles so that they
could avoid crossing the rough rivers.

An important reason for going
on this journey is

so that the horses can feed
on good grass.

There must be grass in the areas
that the stablemen rest.

Jammanover is a Ma-gwo-to
with 35 years of experience.

The Ma-gwo-to is
the leader of the group.

He makes all the decisions,
from which roads to take

and where to sleep, to the things
that must be bought and sold.

Tea with yak butter, salted meat,
and barley powder make up

the main source of their food.

The stablemen of Tibet's Chawaroong Village
look for herbs called checkered lilies.

They have set out for a long journey lasting
a month and a half to barter their goods.

It's very difficult to shoe a horse
that hasn't been tamed yet.

But if horseshoes aren't replaced
every four days,

the horses will be unable to walk
due to blisters that will arise.

Roads for vehicles were nonexistent.

Transportation was carried out
on horses and donkeys.

Vegetable worms and checkered lilies are
dug up antlers of deer from Tibet

are sold at high prices in Yunnan.

We'd buy tea and crops
and sell them back in Tibet.

When the stablemen travel,
much profit can be made.

These days, we buy and sell clothes,
shoes, and other supplies.

Because the roads are dangerous,
profit is very high.

Before they start out on their journey,
the horses are fed.

This is because they will be going
on a difficult journey.

The horses feed on dried corn
and barley called Tsingker,

the principle food for Tibetans.

What the people eat does not differ
from what the horses feed on.

It's been raining for four days straight.

It's now the rainy season.

When it rains, things get rough
for the stablemen.

But it's even tougher for the horses
because they must carry loads

that have become
heavier due to the rain.

It rains even more but the stablemen
continue to go up the mountain.

There is no place for the people
to rest in the dangerous valleys.

They must continue until
they find a suitable resting place.

It may be June now,
but snow-capped mountains

can be seen in the morning sun.

But for some reason they do not
continue their journey today.

Around ten horses haven't returned

after they were released
to rest during the night.

The young Horse Caravans
have gone to find the horses

but have come back with only one.

Over ten horses have gone missing.

I think they've gone over the mountain.

There is good grass on the other side
of the mountain,

and I think the horses that have been
there before have gone over.

People have gone to look for them,
but if they don't return before lunchtime,

I think we must spend the day here.

We cannot leave without our horses.

After waiting more than 3 hours,

someone has returned
with the horses around lunchtime.

It would've taken me 4 to 5 hours on foot,

but I was able to come back
in 3 hours because I ran.

The road coming back
was too difficult and rough,

so I had to ride a horse
because I was running out of time.

Even though the horses
belong to the elders,

it's only right for me to go out and find
them because I'm younger than them.

If I'd taken my time, we wouldn't
have been able to leave today.

As they go up the hill,
the horses start to get tired.

Ma-gwo-to encourages the horses
by feeding them bread.

Once they're over one hill,
another awaits.

The stablemen grow very anxious

especially at the hill that is
5,000 meters above sea level.

Ledong is the first village
they come across over the hill.

The stablemen barter
at every village they stop by.

The villagers present them
with yak butter.

The stablemen offer crops
and salt in exchange.

It's what both parties need very much.

For trading 6 pieces of yak butter
the stablemen need

only half of the crops and salt
they use in their hometown.

This is the reason
the stablemen go on their journey.

The grass that the yaks feed on is herbal,

so the yak butter of these nomads
is of high quality.

We do not have yak butter; but instead,

we carry what they don't have:
Corn, barley, and salt.

It's good for both parties to
trade items that are needed.

We are able to trade yak butter for a smaller
amount of crops than in our hometown.

In May of each year the stablemen
start out on their journey.

It's that time when the snow that has
covered the tracks for six months

begin to melt and roads appear.

Singing a song looking at
the fields in heaven.

The mountains of the east are covered with
white stones and snow and are very rough.

I don't wish to leave my family, but I am
once again travelling afar with the horses.

But the travellers aren't out of the woods
when they reach the plains.

The horses start to get disorderly
as they come across a swamp.

Ma-gwo-to tries to calm them down
with food but it's no use.

One horse falls into the swamp.

It doesn't seem to be deep
but the horse does not budge.

If the horse is left alone,
it will surely die.

The final destination
they arrive at is Cholalaja,

highlands which are
4,000 meters above sea level.

Both the people and horses are worn out

from the week-long journey.

This horse has hurt its ankle.

The only treatment it can receive is to
have its ankle pricked with a gimlet.

The horse's hoof is swollen because the horseshoe

hadn't been attached properly
causing it to dig into its skin.

Because it had rained every day,
the roads had become muddy,

infecting the horse's leg.

In a case like this, the horse's leg
must be pricked with a gimlet.

If the pus isn't taken out, the horse
will be unable to walk properly.

This method was taught to me by the elders.
It will get better.

It's not easy digging
for checkered lilies.

They are very small berries
attached to the root

found very deep in the ground.

They've come all this way to dig up
this rare herb

but it's hard to find
more than 10 per day.

For about a month
they will dig up checkered lilies here.

These people can carry out their lives

by selling the herbs that they find here.

Chawaroong Village in Tibet

It's autumn at Chawaroong Village.

The people here grow barley
and corn in the spring and fall,

but it's not enough for them
to be self-sufficient.

That is why the villagers must go out
to work outside of the village.

Horses have become
a part of their lives

since they would otherwise
have to go on the road

for two to four days by foot.

Wasmine has been digging
for mushrooms all summer long.

He is cleaning the mushrooms
for the last time.

It would be nice if he could sell
fresh mushrooms every day.

But going over the mountain takes too long
between two to four days.

Therefore the mushrooms
are salted and preserved and

will be sold all at once in October.

In a few days, he will go
on a long journey

with the others after loading
the mushroom onto the horses.

Wasmine, who usually works
in the stable lives

with his brother, Booter.

The family arrangements are
a bit unconventional.

The wife of both brothers
is the same person.

Because one of the brothers

must leave home

it's something that comes naturally.

I've been married 8 years.

It's much easier on the household

if two brothers have a single wife.

I'm usually taking care of
the horses and travelling,

so I feel relieved
when my brother stays home.

This system is a tradition of
our poor village.

There are families in our village

where three brothers
have the same wife.

The villagers will start
their journey tomorrow.

Those leaving tomorrow pray for

their safety along with
the village elders.

The morning of their departure

Bells are attached to
the two leading horses.

Scores of horses are able to
walk in a single file line

all due to these two horses.

The first female horse is brave
and cautious leading the way.

The second male horse
follows the leading horse.

And the rest of the herd
follows the second horse.

Decorating these two horses is
a tradition for the stablemen.

There is a legendary merchant who supposedly paved

the roads from Tibet to China.

Having failed eight times on his trip

he discovered an ant on some grass
as he was heading back home.

The ant had successfully made it up
onto the grass after 8 failed attempts.

A fairy appeared just then and told
the merchant that

he had failed because he hadn't
attached bells on his horses.

The fairy went on to say that
he would be successful

if he went back home and made
a large bell to hang on his horse.

And after he had done so,
the merchant became

successful after tying bells
around the horse's neck.

The tradition of the bell ornaments
follows this legend.

17 stablemen and 50 horses

line up to leave
the village for their trip.

As they leave,

the elderly women of the village walk up to
a hill located in the back of the village.

Coloured cloth with Buddhist
text prints are hung

while incense and crops are burnt.

The smoke awakens the mountain gods
and the women pray for the well-being

of their family members who are about
to go on a long and dangerous journey.

The death drop valley is
the most dangerous path.

October is the best time to transport
the goods on the horses.

It no longer rains

and the snow has melted.

But that doesn't mean that
danger is long gone.

It's a steep downhill.

As the loads on the horses
tumble off chaos strikes.

Fortunately, the sacks did not collide
with the horses or with anyone.

If the bags had hit the horses,
it would've frightened them

and caused some of them to run away,

injuring and even killing
other horses and people.

Danger lurks around every corner,

so the Horse Caravans
must always be on guard.

About two people died after being hit

with rocks on the path
we were just on.

Not many people got hurt, but there
were countless instances

where horses would either
die or get injured.

The roads are narrow and dangerous,
it's very common for the rocks

to hit someone when it rains.

At other times,
startled horses may lose

their footing and fall below
into the gorge.

Snow-capped Meili Mountains

The stablemen head for
the most difficult part of

the mountains in the Himalayas.

At the point 2,000 meters
above sea level,

they must travel all the way
to 5,000 meters in just one day.

The horses keep stopping.

The horses breathe heavily
on this steep uphill called Sheila,

where it's said that horses must rest

at least 18 times
before reaching the top.

The snow-capped Mount Mary
is situated 6,740 above sea level

and is one of
Tibet's 8 holy mountains

where men are forbidden to enter.

A horse has fallen sick
all of a sudden.

Although its mouth has been sealed
with a steel bridle,

the horse cannot escape the temptations
of the poisonous herbs.

The horse's life was barely spared thanks to
Ma-gwo-to's emergency treatment.

The horse has eaten a poisonous herb.

I've fed it medicine and
have drawn some blood,

but it's going to grow gaunt
within a few days.

It mustn't carry heavy loads
during the next few days.

This horse will not
be able to work properly.

It will be difficult for it to recuperate fully
even if it eats well for over a year.

Five days after leaving the village,
they have reached Mount Mary.

In just two to four days,
they will be able to sell their mushrooms,

but the stablemen are
willing to go as far as Yunnan.

They will be able to get more money
for their extra troubles.

The temperature falls below zero suddenly

when they reach high altitudes
of 4,000 meters.

Everything about the trip is too difficult for
13-year-old Jan-Ba-Chui-Run,

who has tagged along the journey
for the first time.

I've never been on a mountain

so high because I'm still young.

My legs hurt after walking for many days.

And it's really cold when I sleep.

But my father's legs are weak and
my mother must take care of the corn,

so I had no choice but
to come on this trip.

Other people will sell
the mushrooms for me.

We cannot get a good price for mushrooms

if we sell them at a nearby village.

Although Yunnan is far away,

we are able to get 2-3 Yuan (2-3 dollars)
More for half a kilogram.

And it's better because
we'll be able to get cash.

We are willing to go far in order to sell
our products at higher prices.

The herdsmen who have started
their morning below the mountains

are reciting a Buddhist text.

The repeated work of freeing horses,

feeding them, and loading
the horses

will be over in a few days.

Sullalaka is a steep hill
5,000 meters above sea level.

Here, only the sounds of sharp winds blowing
against the empty sky can be heard.

The herdsmen become pilgrims
as they wear their religious clothing

and pray for their safety to Mount Mary.

The peak of Mount Mary is the highest peak

amongst the holy mountains.

That's why many religious followers take
two weeks to walk around the peak.

We prayed so that the villagers
and the horses can be safe.

We prayed to the meandering spirits
to guide us.

We prayed that we will be able to sell all
our mushrooms so that we can make money.

It's been a week since
they've left their hometown

through the deep valleys
and high mountain peaks.

They have finally come across
a road for vehicles.

Meritz, Deochinhyeon, Yunnan

This is their destination
Meritz in Yunnan.

The sacks are unloaded
from the tired horses and

they dry up the sweat
on their backs in dirt.

Bartering begins.

Half a kilogram of mushroom
sells for 45 Yuan.

The price is settled
at about 5 US dollars.

In total, about 17,000 dollars have been made
by selling 1,750 kilograms of mushrooms.

Each person receives 1,000 dollars.

This is their compensation
for the long and dangerous journey.

Now they must go back
on the same path they've taken.

And the year's journey
will come to a close.

A year has passed, and the season
for journey has come again.

But things are very different now.

The roads they had travelled on last year

will be widened to accommodate cars
and other vehicles.

The travelling herdsmen
form a procession with many horses.

The procession is a testament of the legacy

that had spanned for thousands of years.

And their journey has come to an end,

only to remain in their memories forever.