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.
Applications for the WildChina Explorer Grant due soon! By: WildChina | Categories: Adventure Travel in China Sustainable Travel WildChina Experts WildChina Explorer Grant Interested in exploring forgotten villages in Guizhou? Have a passion for the traditional art of rug weaving from Xinjiang? Itching to retrace a … Continue reading →
It is about movement. This circle of faith is about a punishing regime of movement, with integrity, a light heart and commitment thrown in to the mix. The most stunning benefit on top of all of it for Michael and … Continue reading →
Posted in Explorations, Mountains
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Tagged circumambulation, eastern tibet, Jeff Fuchs, Kawa Karpo, kora, Meili Snow Mountain, Michael Kleinwort, mountains, nomadic pilgrims, Nomads, northwestern yunnan, sacred mountains, sacred mountains of Tibet, sacred walks, TAR, trekking, treks, yunnan, Yunnan trekking, Zhogong
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The first night of sleep is under an enormous rock which overhangs our informal outdoor space. A huge sacred rock covered in money, inscriptions, prayer flags and offerings. Pilgrims study it and raise up their eyes to it in wonder. … Continue reading →
Posted in Explorations, Mountains
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Tagged animism, buddhism, china trekking, circumambulation, Dro Ge La, Dro Ge Pass, Jeff Fuchs, kawa karpo kora, kawa karpo trek, kora, Meili Snow Mountain, Michael Kleinwort, mountain trekking, northwestern yunnan, pilgrimage, pilgrims, sacred mountains, sacred mountains of Tibet, sacred snow mountain, snow mountain, Snow passes, Southwest China, Tibet, Tibetan nomads, trekking, yunnan, Yunnan trekking
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In their wonderfully tangible way mountains introduce, stymie and beckon. Heading northwest from Gyalthang (Zhongdian) through rows of brown folds Michael and I drop in altitude into the ‘rongba’ (valley towns) of hot valley floors only to ascend again into … Continue reading →
Posted in Explorations, Mountains
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Tagged bon religion, butter tea, chamdo, circumambulation, Expedition, exploration, Himalayas, Jeff Fuchs, kawa gebo, Kawa Karpo, kora, Meili Snow Mountain, Michael Kleinwort, Nomads, northwestern yunnan, pilgrims, sacred mountains of Tibet, sacred snow mountain, Trekking in the Himalayas
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Snow, pilgrims with tireless feet, endless spirit and mountains that one bows to every day…and the odd cup of tea. Posts of the journey upcoming
Posted in Explorations, Mountains
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Tagged animism, bon religion, buddhism, circumambulation, Deqin, Himalayas, Jeff Fuchs, kawa gebo, Kawa Karpo, kora, sacred mountains, Snow mountains, Tibet, trekking, yunnan, Yunnan trekking
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“It is when the mountains sigh, that the world is tested” Apologies as there has been little in the way of postings due to that ‘ever-clever’ issue of technology which has plagued me. At present in preparation for a … Continue reading →
Posted in Explorations, Mountains
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Tagged circumambulation, Jeff Fuchs, Kawa Karpo, Meili Snow Mountain, Michael Kleinwort, Mountain, pilgrimage, sacred mountain trek, sacred mountains of Tibet, Tea Horse Road, Trek, Trekking in the Himalayas, yunnan, yunnan-guizhou plateau
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Brongri is a mountain god that is only called upon when nomadic disputes have reached a level when they cannot be solved by the mortal will. It should be noted that the Tibetan nomadic mortal will, whether in pursuit … Continue reading →
Posted in Explorations, Mountains
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Tagged China, China travel, Climbing, drokpa, dropa, Expedition, exploration, Genyen, Himalayas, Jeff Fuchs, Litang, Nomad, sacred mountains, sacred mountains of Tibet, sacred snow mountain, Sichuan, Tea Horse Road, Tibet, tibet travel, Tibetan culture, Trek
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Much of the Tea Horse Road’s great appeal is the sheer expanse of geography taken in – some estimate (as we did when our team traveled it) that five thousand grand kilometres taking in rafts of culture, language, diet, altitude … Continue reading →
Posted in Explorations, Tea
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Tagged Ancient Tea, Ancient Tea Horse Road, Ancient Tea Trade, Ancient tea trees, Assamica, Cha Ma Gu Dao, hani, Himalaya Trade Route, Horse and Tea Trail, Indigenous culture, Jeff Fuchs, lahu, nomadic communities, Nomads, pulang, southwestern Yunnan, Tea, tea caravans, Tea Horse Road, Tea Horse Trails, Tea Road, Tea Route, tea trade, Tibet, Tibetan nomads, Tibetan trade routes, Trade, Trade Route, Trekking in the Himalayas, Wa, Yunnan tea
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Jeff Fuchs will speak at Beijing International Society speaking about the lost nomadic route of salt: “In Search of White Gold – The Ancient Himalaya Salt Route”, September, 8, 2011 here
Posted in Explorations, Media
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Tagged Amdo, Explore, Himalayan Resource, Himalayan Salt Route, Himalayan Trade, Jeff Fuchs, Nomadic Route of Salt, Qinghai, Salt, Sustainable exploration, Tibet, Tibet trade, Trek, Tsa, Tsalam, Wild China Explorer of the Year 2011
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Guest blog post for David Lau’s Asha Tea House in California on tea’s very simple and understated origins in southwestern Yunnan – Pulang Mountain – here
Posted in Tea
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Tagged ancient tea culture, Ancient tea trees, Indigenous tea culture, Jeff Fuchs, Jeff Fuchs guest tea blog, Pu'erh, puer, Puer tea culture, tea culture, tea exploration, Yunnan tea, Yunnan tea culture
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