The broad "Silk Road" can be divided into the land-based Silk Road and the maritime Silk Road. The land route started from ancient Chang'an (now Xi'an, Shaanxi) and meandered westward, becoming the intersection of civilizations on the Eurasian continent. However, little known is that there is also a 'Northern Silk Road' traveling eastward from places such as Chang'an. This Silk Road, with both land and water routes, reaches deep into Northeast Asia and is therefore also known as the "Northeast Asian Silk Road". It is not only a trade channel, but also a bridge for cultural dissemination. The core section of the North Silk Road is located in present-day Baishan City, Jilin Province. Baishan City lies quietly among the mountains and forests at the foot of Changbai Mountain and by the Yalu River. The beautiful mountains and rivers nurture rare and exotic animals such as the Northeast tiger and brown bear, and nourish medicinal plants such as ginseng and lingzhi. This border town, with a registered residence population of less than one million, bears the weight of a thousand year old post road, writes the legend of the "King of Herbs", and polishes the name card of the Oriental "Snow Kingdom". In history, specialties such as wild ginseng and pine nuts migrated from here to Chang'an during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and silk and ceramics from the Central Plains were transmitted to Northeast Asia through here. The envoys and merchants embarked on an ancient road known as the "Northern Silk Road", and envoys and monks from Japan, Silla, and other countries also traveled to and from China along this road. Chinese culture spread to Northeast Asia through this road. Nowadays, Wanliang Changbai Mountain Ginseng Market has become the "heart" of global ginseng trading. The distinctive customs and ice and snow scenery of Kanto have built a bridge connecting the world. The story of trade exchange and cultural cooperation between China and foreign countries echoes the era of the "Northern Silk Road" in this small mountain town. A long ancient road - depicted in the scroll "A Family of Cars and Books" - stretches along the vast mountains of the Baishan section of National Highway 331. In the depths of the mountains and forests, the Man River and the Jin River converge to form the surging Songhua River. About 500 meters northwest of Xikantun in Jianchang Village, Zuoshui Township, Fusong County, near the Songhua River, a section of ancient road ruins can be vaguely seen. According to the elders of Fusong, the "Northern Silk Road" passes through the mountains here, connecting the former Central Plains dynasties with the northeastern border. Over a thousand years ago, envoys from the Bohai Kingdom brought local specialties such as ginseng and mink fur from the Changbai Mountain region, starting from Longquan Prefecture (now Ning'an City, Heilongjiang Province) and traveling along the ancient road all the way to Yalu Prefecture in the western capital (now Linjiang City, Baishan). From there, they turned to water and flowed downstream along the Yalu River, setting sail in Dandong, Liaoning Province, and finally landed in Dengzhou, Shandong Province (now Penglai District, Yantai, Shandong Province). They then traveled by land directly to Chang'an. The Fusong section is a major transportation artery for the land part of this ancient road. In the 1960s and 1980s, two archaeological surveys were conducted in Fusong County, excavating important stations along the tribute route such as Xin'an Ancient City, Daying Site, Tanghekou Site, and Wenquan Site, depicting the clear direction of this "Northern Silk Road". Along this road, cultural exchange bursts with vitality among the verdant mountains. According to historical records, the Bohai Kingdom sent envoys 163 times to the central government of the Tang Dynasty in order to fulfill its responsibilities and obligations as a vassal state. Through ancient routes, the Bohai Kingdom sent tribute missions and children of nobles and aristocrats to the Central Plains, numbering in the tens of thousands, to learn Central Plains culture, advanced handicrafts, and emulate Central Plains etiquette. The Central Plains culture promoted the unprecedented prosperity of the economy and culture of Bohai Kingdom. At its peak, it governed 5 capitals, 15 prefectures, and 62 states, known as the "East Sea Prosperous Kingdom". Although Xinjiang is heavy on the sea, it is a family of cars and books. Sheng Xun returned to his old country, and the famous saying is in China. Divide the boundary into autumn rising, sail to dawn. Jiumen Fengyue is good, looking back is Tianya. ”The poem "Sending the Prince of Bohai back to his homeland" by Tang Dynasty poet Wen Tingyun is a vivid footnote to the close cultural exchange between Bohai Kingdom and the central government of the Tang Dynasty. Time flows, time changes. The ancient path that has gone through storms and vicissitudes has disappeared into the mountains and history, but the memories that connect civilization and trade have been passed down from generation to generation. From thousands of years ago when large commercial and diplomatic missions walked through deep mountain valleys, to today when trucks loaded with ginseng travel to various parts of the world, the unique ice and snow attract visitors from all over the world. The echoes of history and the pulse of modernity intertwine here. A ginseng plant - achieving a leap from selling raw materials to selling products. In the early morning, foot traffic arrives at the Wanliang Changbai Mountain Ginseng Market in Fusong County earlier than the sunshine. In the market, ginseng with twisted roots and tendrils filled the stalls. Amidst the footsteps of delivery workers and live streaming of goods, the bustling scene lasted from the opening of the market every morning until early the next morning. The whole world recognizes our treasures here. ”The stall owner Wang Mei is putting fresh ginseng into a foam box, with moss at the bottom and covering the surface, and moving smoothly. "Our ginseng is of good quality, well packaged, and guaranteed to be fresh when it arrives. Customers in Southeast Asia have always liked it." Like many vendors in the market, Wang Mei is also a native of Fusong, and has lived for generations by picking ginseng and planting staff. In the generation of Wang Mei, more and more ginseng has gone abroad and entered the world. My parents' generation basically had no communication with foreign countries, and now I receive a lot of overseas orders every year, "Wang Mei said." When fresh ginseng is launched in autumn, there will be more overseas orders. The annual revenue of the stall is over 100000 yuan. "Wanliang Changbai Mountain Ginseng Market is the only national level ginseng trading professional market in China and the largest in the world. In 2024, the trading volume of fresh ginseng in the market was 59.5 million catties, with a trading volume of 2.41 billion yuan; The trading volume of dried ginseng is 18 million catties, with a trading volume of 3 billion yuan. Wanliang Changbai Mountain Ginseng Market is the 'heart' of ginseng worldwide, "said Zhang Guohong, the market manager. The ambition of Baishan people is not just about "selling raw materials". Entering the production workshop of Nature Biotechnology Co., Ltd. in Fusong County, the modern traditional Chinese medicine extraction production line and ginsenoside monomer separation equipment operate efficiently, and products such as ginseng leaf drop pills and ginseng peptides are dazzling. "In the past, raw materials were sold by catty, but now essence is sold by gram. ”Liu Yong, the sales manager of the company, introduced to the reporter that deep processing excavates high added value. Ginsenoside monomers can be sold for a minimum of 35000 yuan per kilogram. The company's independently developed series of products are selling well in domestic and foreign markets. In June of this year, a new batch of product sample inspection reports sent to Europe were released, and hundreds of indicators were all met. European companies immediately placed an order for 100000 boxes of ginseng products. Ginseng culture is not only the spiritual root of our caressing pine, but also the consensus of the broader Greater China cultural circle, "said Liu Yong. Originating from a common cultural background, the company's products have been exported to Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and Europe, and their development is thriving. Ginseng is transforming from a specialty of Baishan to an international IP, "said the person in charge of Baishan Municipal Bureau of Commerce. As of now, there are over 3000 ginseng processing enterprises in Baishan City, and more than 600 products including ginseng food, beverages, medicines, health products, cosmetics, etc. are sold to more than 30 countries and regions. A Style - Transformed into a Stage for Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning "Bang Bang! ”What kind of mallet? ”Amidst the dense forests of Baishan City, the cries of ginseng gatherer Cui Chang'an and his companions could be heard. We call ginseng a 'stick hammer', and when we discover ginseng, we shout like this, which is called 'shouting at the mountain'. ”Pointing to a plant with red seeds not far away, Cui Chang'an introduced it to the "foreign disciple" behind him. He tied the branches and leaves of ginseng with a "hammer lock" and completed the process of digging, lifting, and wrapping ginseng in sequence. He skillfully demonstrated the movements and explained the details. This is a scene from last August when foreign students walked into Baishan to experience the unique intangible cultural heritage activities. In the long-term process of searching for mountain ginseng, the laborers in Changbai Mountain area have developed a unique set of customs, including activities such as pulling gangs, entering the mountains, and carrying "sticks and hammers". The custom of picking ginseng in Changbai Mountain was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Cui Chang'an, also known as "Cui Tou", is a well-known ginseng collector in the local area. During the event, foreign students followed "Cui Tou" to collect ginseng and experience the culture of "letting go of mountains". Cui Chang'an unreservedly imparted his over 50 years of ginseng harvesting experience and the traditional Chinese culture behind it to "foreign disciples". Immersive experience of China's intangible cultural heritage, very happy. ”Everything here fascinates me, and I will definitely share this beautiful memory with my friends. "Foreign students from 9 countries including Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam were deeply impressed by their ginseng harvesting experience. Changbai Mountain ginseng picking customs, Songhua stone carving skills, Changbai Mountain Manchu style Paper Cuttings...... Guandong folk customs attract global attention. In recent years, relying on the natural endowments such as snow powder, hot springs, Tianchi, and forest sea in Changbai Mountain area, Baishan City has accelerated its transformation into a world-class tourist destination. Linhai Xueyuan has become a brand new business card of Baishan City. Especially powder snow, due to its soft and dry granular form, is internationally recognized as a high-quality skiing snow quality, attracting many international tourists. In order to better ensure the safety of international tourists, last snow season, the Manjiang Border Police Station of the Fusong Border Management Brigade formed a "bilingual service team" and dispatched skilled and fluent English police officers to the front line to provide "bilingual consultation" and "bilingual acceptance" services, solving the travel problems of foreign tourists - helping tourists find their passports, guiding lost tourists, translating characteristic folk activities into English and telling tourists... The ice and snow have become a big stage for cultural exchange and mutual learning. The towering mountains bear witness to the glory of the millennium old "Northern Silk Road" and also reflect the busy fireworks of the ginseng market; Amidst the dense forests, the ancient echoes of 'shouting mountains' resound, and the cheers of different languages on the snowy path are also heard. The weight of history corresponds to the vitality of reality, and a diverse and limitless future is flourishing on this land. (New Society)