Tea-Horse Road Series: Delamu (2004)

Delamu ¨C Tibetan for "Peace Angel". Since ancient times, China's two primary land routes connecting it to the outside world have been the Silk Road in the north, and Tea Horse-Road in the ... See full summary »

Director:

Zhuangzhuang Tian

Writer:

Zhuangzhuang Tian

Star:

Kuirong Wang

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Kuirong Wang

Storyline

Delamu ¨C Tibetan for "Peace Angel". Since ancient times, China's two primary land routes connecting it to the outside world have been the Silk Road in the north, and Tea Horse-Road in the south. The mountain village of Bingzhongluo-Tibetan for "Village of Tibetans" is located on the high plateau of western Yunnan Province, at the foot of Gaoligong Mountain. Traveling along the Nujiang River, one can reach the southern Tibetan border town of Chawalong-Tibetan for "Valley of Dry Heat." But with no roads connecting the two places, since ancient times the transport of all goods and supplies has relied entirely on horse caravans. The journey of more than 90 kilometers zigzags through high mountain slopes, dense forests, gorges and wastelands. Year-round caravans have plied the Tea-Horse Road, traversing the Hengduan Mountains, packing tea, salt, grains and other provisions. Traveling upstream along the Three Rivers, the route reaches Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, India and Western Asia, ...

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Plot Keywords:

caravan | tibet | china | buddhist | trade | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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User Reviews

A slow documentary, but educational and rewarding

This is a documentary done about people that live around the 'Tea-Horse' route in a southern region of China bordering Yunnan and Tibet. The route is far less known than its northern counterpart, the Silk Route. I was never aware of it until I saw this film and now I have a desire to visit it some day.

Camera work was visually satisfying. The scenery was unique and gorgeous. Interviews with the locals were honest and unpretentious, although some could be cut short to reduce the overall length of the film from over 2 hours to, say, 90 minutes to make this film a bit tighter and less tedious.

You will find this film interesting if you care about how people live in that part of the world. The part that is totally disconnected from the economic engine of China; the part where time appears to have stood still for decades. There is this family of devout Catholics, and the story how their members maintained their faith throughout the political turmoil. And there are these two Tibetan brothers who shared a wife and still achieve harmony. And other characters that are very removed from our daily life.

The film is about simple people, their environment, and their aspirations. I find it very educational and visually rewarding.

Details

Country:

China Japan

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

5 May 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Delamu

Company Credits

Production Co:

BDI Films Inc., Beijing Time United Culture Developing, Kunming Daongdato Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min (theatrical)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1