Ancient Shu and the Secret Walkway to India

The ancient Shu civilization is believed to have utilized a secret trade route known as the Shushendu Dao to connect Sichuan directly to India through the Himalayas, a path supported by archaeological evidence like Indian Ocean shells and still reflected in modern routes like the G318. The mythical Kunlun Mountain is identified in the sources as Muyagonga, a peak with a vertical drop of 6,200 meters and a high death rate that matches the unpredictable, god-like descriptions found in the ancient Shanhaijing. Despite modern efforts to conquer these peaks, such as the tragic 1991 Meili Snow Mountain expedition, survivors like Naoyuki Kobayashi eventually learned to respect the mountains as sacred family members rather than objects of conquest.