Chun Zhang, Haifei Yuan

Haifei Yuan

November 28, 2025

The Great Tea Road, Century Artery, Cultural revitalization, Eastern Tea Port.

Theoretical and Practical Achievements of Hubei and the Great Tea Road Studies offers a comprehensive reinterpretation of the Great Tea Road through a global historical and interdisciplinary lens. Centering on Hubei Province — especially Hankou as the “thoroughfare of nine provinces” — the book reconstructs its pivotal role in transcontinental trade and cultural exchange. Based on rich archival evidence, it portrays Hankou as a hub of tea production, refinement, and branding that transformed local commerce into a driving force of early globalization. The study extends beyond history to engage with contemporary issues such as the UNESCO heritage nomination, cross-border collaboration, and sustainable cultural revitalization. It also explores broader themes including the Tea Road’s connection to the Belt and Road Initiative, its contribution to Chinese national integration, and its enduring function as a vehicle of cultural soft power. Through its multidimensional approach—combining historical analysis, theoretical innovation, and pragmatic insight—the book bridges past and present, demonstrating how the spirit of openness and civilizational dialogue embodied in the Tea Road continues to inspire China’s cultural confidence and international engagement today.

© 2025, the Authors. Published by ISCCAC

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license