DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1674-9391.2024.10.007

Abstract： The" exploration" of the Ancient Tea Horse Road" has offered valuable insights into the long history of interactions and integrations among diverse ethnic groups in China." Accounts affirm that， as an artery of material exchange， the Ancient Tea Horse Road" facilitated the movement of commodities such as tea from the" Central Plains" and horses from the frontier regions， thereby fostering economic prosperity and commodity circulation" between regions." Additionally， the Ancient Tea Horse Road played a crucial role in cultural integration， where tangible trade" evidently nurtured" intangible culture： Various multicultural elements， including tea culture， horse culture， architectural culture， Guozhuang culture， ethnic" traditions， and religious beliefs，" intertwined" along this route. Relying on its material infrastructure and cultural heritage， the Ancient Tea Horse Road" appears to have promoted" the exchange and integration of" various" ethnic groups." This process can be summarized into two major aspects： First， the Ancient Tea Horse Road fostered ethnic exchange and integration" through" cultural identity. Second， it" strengthened ethnic unity" by enabling" the exchange and integration of these diverse ethnic groups." The first aspect can be further elaborated as follows： The exchange of tea and horses on" this route transcended mere material transactions， evolving into a platform for" cultural exchange，" integration， collision， and mutual learning among ethnic" groups. This" commodity trade" facilitated cultural encounters， reference， and exchange， which in turn" promoted the formation of a shared" cultural identity." Research outcomes， therefore， show that frequent interactions" among the ethnic peoples" along the route led to broader understandings， more interactions，" and deeper feelings. What is more， in" the process of communications，" interaction， and integration， the" relationships between "individual members and the broader “extended family，” as well as between ethnic groups and the Chinese nation， have been further deepened. This evidently has led to an enhancement of cohesion and unity among all ethnic groups in China.

It can be argued that the above process has ethnic communication as its" foundation， ethnic interaction" as its guarantee， and ethnic integration as" its core." The Ancient Tea Horse Road， moreover， can serve as a vivid illustration of these dynamics， with every element — mountains， waters， people， and objects — contributing to economic exchanges， cultural dissemination， and ethnic integration. The economic" activities along this ancient road not only seem to have promoted commodity circulation and trade activities， but also regional" resource complementarity and economic cooperation. In terms of cultural dissemination and ethnic integration， findings indicate that the various ethnic groups have" forged" deep friendships，" gained" a deeper understanding of each other， and engaged in mutual learning and progress. Indeed， it can be concluded that the Ancient Tea Horse Road has provided fertile soil for the consciousness of the Chinese national community. Through ethnic exchanges and integration， it has" nurtured" the consciousness of the Chinese national community，" paving the way for its growth. In the new era，" it is therefore imperative to strengthen the preservation" and inheritance the legacy of the Ancient Tea Horse Road，" promote the development of" its tourism and cultural industry，" advocate its spirit and values， and adhere to" the main task of" cultivating" a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

Key Words： inter-ethnic communication， interaction， and integration; Ancient Tea Horse Road; forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation