Yangloudong: Cradle of the Ancient Tea Road Nestled in Chibi City, Hubei Province, Yangloudong is a historic town of immense significance in global tea history. Its most outstanding features are: Birthplace of Dark Brick Tea & Epicenter of the Ancient Tea Road: Yangloudong is the legendary origin of Chinese Dark Brick Tea (Qingzhuan Cha) and Rice Brick Tea (Mizhuan Cha). During the Ming and Qing dynasties (especially the 18th-19th centuries), it flourished as the primary production hub and starting point of the Ancient Tea Road (or "Ten Thousand Li Tea Road"). This vast trade network stretched north to Mongolia and Russia, eventually reaching Europe, making Yangloudong tea a globally traded commodity. The Iconic Flagstone Street & Cart Ruts: The heart of the town is its remarkably preserved Ming-Qing Dynasty Flagstone Street. Its most unique and evocative feature is the deep, parallel ruts worn into the central stones. These were carved over centuries by the iron wheels of countless oxcarts and wheelbarrows transporting compressed tea bricks to distant markets. This physical testament to the town's bustling commercial past is unparalleled. "World's First Tea Ancient Town": Due to its pivotal role in international tea trade and production scale during its peak, Yangloudong earned the title "World's First Tea Ancient Town" or "Hometown of Brick Tea." Its streets were once lined with teahouses, banks, and hundreds of tea factories, processing leaves from surrounding mountains into the durable bricks essential for the long overland journey. Living Heritage: Yangloudong isn't just ruins. The traditional techniques for making Dark Brick Tea, originating here, are recognized as China's National Intangible Cultural Heritage, preserved by nearby factories like Zhaoliqiao. The ancient street itself, along with surrounding historical sites, is a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit and part of the "Ancient Tea Road" World Heritage nomination.