• Manzhouli, the Go-between City of Border Tourism If it were a person, then Manzhouli would be a matchmaker, or the go-between. Three hundred years ago, when the Tea Road is in its heyday, Manzhouli was where merchants from inland Chinese cities sold tea to Russian buyers. • From Camels to SUVs, the Travelers on Tea Road Then and Today Camels used to be the major means of transportation along the Tea Road which spans China's Shanxi province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and further into Mongolia and Russia. But soon sport utility vehicles (SUVs) may take the place of animals and revive this once prosperous trade route. • The Chang Manor of Scholarly Tea Merchants When you walk up to the front of the Chang Manor, it looks no different than one of the entrances to Beijing's Summer Palace, or one of the many historical stone structures in China.But stepinside, and you're in for a surprise.

• Modern Prosperity in an Ancient Town Sitting on the border between China and Russia, Manzhouli has depended on international trade since ancient times. • Modern Merchants on the Ancient Tea Road Inner Mongolian native Sha Rula's wish, is to open Chinese-style tea houses in the cities along the ancient Tea Road that leads from Shanxi to Eastern Europe. • Tea Road and the Inherited Glory of a Family The Chang family used to be a leading tea trader in Shanxi and have been widely recognized as the major explorers of the Tea Road.