Author Archives: JeffFuchs

About JeffFuchs

Bio Having lived for most of the past decade in Asia, Fuchs’ work has centered on indigenous mountain cultures, oral histories with an obsessive interest in tea. His photos and stories have appeared on three continents in award-winning publications Kyoto Journal, TRVL, and Outpost Magazine, as well as The Spanish Expedition Society, The Earth, Silkroad Foundation, The China Post Newspaper, The Toronto Star, The South China Morning Post and Traveler amongst others. Various pieces of his work are part of private collections in Europe, North America and Asia and he serves as the Asian Editor at Large for Canada’s award-winning Outpost magazine. Fuchs is the Wild China Explorer of the Year for 2011 for sustainable exploration of the Himalayan Trade Routes. He recently completed a month long expedition a previously undocumented ancient nomadic salt route at 4,000 metres becoming the first westerner to travel the Tsa’lam ‘salt road’ through Qinghai. Fuchs has written on indigenous perspectives for UNESCO, and has having consulted for National Geographic. Fuchs is a member of the fabled Explorers Club, which supports sustainable exploration and research. Jeff has worked with schools and universities, giving talks on both the importance of oral traditions, tea and mountain cultures. He has spoken to the prestigious Spanish Geographic Society in Madrid on culture and trade through the Himalayas and his sold out talk at the Museum of Nature in Canada focused on the enduring importance of oral narratives and the Himalayan trade routes. His recently released book ‘The Ancient Tea Horse Road’ (Penguin-Viking Publishers) details his 8-month groundbreaking journey traveling and chronicling one of the world’s great trade routes, The Tea Horse Road. Fuchs is the first westerner to have completed the entire route stretching almost six thousand kilometers through the Himalayas a dozen cultures. He makes his home in ‘Shangrila’, northwestern Yunnan upon the eastern extension of the Himalayan range where tea and mountains abound; and where he leads expeditions the award winning ‘Tea Horse Road Journey’ with Wild China along portions of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. To keep fueled up for life Fuchs co-founded JalamTeas which keeps him deep in the green while high in the hills.

Jingmai Pu’erh – The Mild Giant

When one is able to link a cup of tea – its leaves, strengths, and characteristics – to its origins, it creates a link that is irreplaceable. When one can link a tea to ‘its people’ that is one of … Continue reading

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A Time of Talk … of Tea – Xishuangbanna lll

  There is always a kind of inevitability of events in China. With the rush, the masses, the intensity of purpose, things just MOVE!! There is the sense at times that the speed and lack of warning of when something … Continue reading

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National Geographic Traveler: Top 50 Trips of a Lifetime – Ancient Tea Horse Road with Jeff Fuchs

In a little bit of good ‘April’ news (amidst tea swoons and buzzes) National Geographic Traveler has named my Ancient Tea Horse Road trip with Wild China as one of their “Top 50 Trips of a Lifetime”. Gives us far … Continue reading

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Up a Classic with a Classic – Xishuangbanna Continued

Teashops and tea cups have to at some point make way for the tea forests and fields. Fluid must give way to its ‘source’. As much as my entire being loves to be shoved into a tight little shop sipping … Continue reading

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An Arrival – Xishuangbanna/Sipsongbanna

Heat, Green, Some Characters…and more Green There are moments when the senses tell the rest of the body that one has arrived; moments when the body knows something before the mind does. Stepping out of a plane’s hatch, hot air … Continue reading

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A Tea for Departures – Lau Banzhang

Embarking for the south of Yunnan on the tea sourcing mission tomorrow, it seems a perfect time to indulge in a little ‘tea’ farewell from home here in Shangrila. Above, on the wooden slats of my Tibetan home’s roof, ice … Continue reading

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“Hu Kai – A Tea of the Soul” … and one that still stuns the tongue

It remains a tea that I don’t get enough of (which will hopefully be remedied in the coming two weeks). My fierce Lahu contact in Xishuangbanna assures me that this will be the case. Hu Kai’s roots, flavours, and understated … Continue reading

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“Tea’s Ancient Trees” – Absolute green, absolute heat, and absolute tea

There are few geographies (with their perks) that I would rather be than amidst the ancient tea forests of southern Yunnan, and fewer-still fluids that I’d rather consume than these forest’s ancient teas. The full article here: “Tea’s Ancient Trees” … Continue reading

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Six Sips in Beijing – A look back

As a sort of look back – and forward, from a tea perspective. I thought I’d include one link every few days to tea blogs that I’ve been doing for Templar Foods since late 2010. First blog was “Six Sips … Continue reading

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Illywords (as in illy coffee’s words and blog) covering Tea Horse Road talk at Shanghai Lit Fest

http://www.illywords.com/2012/03/7740/

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