1I am uncertain as to the origin of this ‘ode’, which has no attributed author or date. It is noteworthy that the place-names used are in Chinese and not in Tibetan, so this may have been a song of Han and/or Hui muleteers. Is it a traditional song or poem of the ‘Tea-Horse Road’? Or is it a more modern creation? Please send any information to: info@cpamedia.com
2Changdu is the Chinese name for Chamdo, Tibet’s third largest city. The main monastery in Chamdo is Galdan Champaling.
3Batang is a town in western Sichuan on the old eastern Tea-Horse Road between Ya’an and Markam.
4Zanba is the Chinese name for tsampa, a Tibetan staple comprising roasted barley flour usually mixed and eaten with salty Tibetan butter tea.
5Litang is a town in western Sichuan on the old eastern Tea-Horse Road between Ya’an and Markam.
6Baxiu is the Chinese name for Baxoi in eastern Tibet, on the old western Tea-Horse Road between Markam and Lhasa.
7Mangkang is the Chinese name for Markam in eastern Tibet, an important junction on the former Tea-Horse Road.
8Zhongdian in northwest Yunnan has now been officially renamed ‘Shangri La’ to suit the needs of the Chinese tourism industry.
9Literally ‘best girl’, ‘good woman’.
