Nathanael Dwight Pelton, also known by his Chinese name Su Ping, is an American who has lived in China for 19 years. A teacher at Suzhou Foreign Language School, he believes that "knowledge is found not only in books but also in the vast world, and one of the best ways to learn is through firsthand experience". Each year, he takes his students on trips to different countries to immerse themselves in local cultures.
Also a hiking enthusiast, he joined the Path Seekers to explore the ancient Shu Road in the transition from spring to summer. Before setting off, he told his family that this trip was an opportunity to venture onto the most authentic ancient trail, learn about the most authentic Chinese culture, and enjoy the most authentic cuisine—hot pot.
The ancient Shu Road is one of the earliest large-scale transportation relics preserved by humanity and has long been a destination Su Ping yearned to explore on foot. What kind of transportation network was the ancient Shu Road? Why did the people of ancient China choose to cross the formidable Qinba Mountains to construct it? Unlike the Roman roads built on plains, the Shu Road winds through the steep, rugged terrain of the Qinba Mountains. How did they overcome countless obstacles to carve cliffs, build plank roads, construct bridges, and pave stone paths?
With these questions in mind, Su Ping took a train from Jiangsu to Sichuan. Upon arriving, the question marks gradually turned into periods and exclamation points as he witnessed the sights and engaged in in-depth exchanges during his hike.
During the hike, Xinyue, a native of Sichuan, explained that the ancient Shu Road was once lamented as difficult as climbing to the sky. For thousands of years, the people of Sichuan reshaped the landscape with their wisdom and perseverance. The ancient Shu Road became a thing of the past after the opening of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Road in 1936. Since 1949, Sichuan has developed a comprehensive, modern transport network that integrates highways, railways, waterways, and air routes.
Passing through countless tunnels, Su Ping experienced firsthand the perilous nature of the Shu Road. At the Jian’ge section, he found himself surrounded by some of the largest and best-preserved ancient cypress trees in the world, realizing the efforts to connect with the outside world while living in harmony with nature.
As a photography enthusiast, Su Ping used his professional camera to capture the magnificent scenery along the ancient path. His lens documented the lush, ancient cypress trees of Cuiyun Corridor, the Baoji-Chengdu Railway threading through steep mountains, the historic Mingyue (Bright Moon) Gorge that has witnessed six ancient and modern transportation routes, and the steady flow of water beneath stone bridges from the Ming and Qing dynasties, still as robust as ever.
Today, it takes only a few hours to travel from Guangyuan to Chengdu. With international flight routes and freight trains, the regional Ba-Shu culture, represented by Shu brocade, continues to flourish and shines even brighter on the global stage. “The Shu Road is now incredibly accessible!” Su Ping remarked. This impression reflects not only his personal experience but also China’s development achievements, recognized around the world.
在中國生活了19年的美國人蘇平（Nathanael Dwight Pelton），現在是蘇州外國語學校的老師。因為相信“知識不僅在書本更在廣闊的世界中，親身去體驗是極其重要的學習方式。”每年他都會帶著學生們去不同國家，深入當地交流。
今年春夏之交，熱愛徒步的他，跟隨“Path Seekers 問道中國”徒步小組，走進古蜀道。“走最地道的古道，了解最地道的中國文化”，臨行前他對家人說，“當然，還有最地道的美食——火鍋！”
古蜀道是保存至今人類最早的大型交通遺跡之一，也是蘇平心儀已久的徒步目的地。古蜀道是怎樣的交通網絡？中國古人為何要跨越秦巴山脈修建蜀道？不同于古羅馬人在平原上修筑的羅馬大道，蜀道分布在秦巴山脈的崇山峻嶺中，當年要克服重重障礙鑿崖修棧、架橋鋪石，是怎樣實現的？帶著這些疑問，蘇平搭乘火車從江蘇抵達四川，進川后，這些問號隨著徒步中的見聞與深入交流，逐步變為句號與驚嘆號。
一路行走，四川當地人郭謝歆悅告訴他，自古“蜀道難，難于上青天”，千百年來，四川先民用智慧與堅韌重塑時空。1936年川陜公路開通以后，古蜀道成為歷史。1949年以來，四川又沿著古蜀道線路設計建設了現代公路、鐵路、水運和航空等“新蜀道”。
當火車經過一個個隧道，蘇平意識到，曾經的蜀道真的“難于上青天”。徒步在劍閣蜀道，置身迄今規模最大、保存最完好的古代人工栽植驛道古柏群，又能體會到先民在想盡辦法與外界聯通的同時，堅持順應自然、保護自然。
熱愛攝影的蘇平，一路用專業相機記錄珍貴瞬間。在他的鏡頭里，有翠云廊千年蒼柏枝繁葉茂、有穿過陡峭山洞的寶成鐵路、有見證古今六道于此通行的明月峽，還有潺潺流水淌過堅實如初的明清石板橋。
天塹通途，暢達未來。如今，從廣元到成都非常方便，幾個小時就能到達天府之國感受“巴適”的都市生活。一條條國際航線開通，一趟趟國際班列飛馳，以蜀錦為代表的巴蜀文化在世界舞臺更加閃亮。“如今蜀道很通暢！”這是蘇平的感受，也是全世界有目共睹的中國經驗。
總制片Chief Producers / 楊力群Yang Liqun 雙傳學Shuang Chuanxue
總策劃Chief Planners / 顧雷鳴Gu Leiming 劉偉Liu Wei
總監制Line Producer / 傅晴Fu Qing
總統籌Chief Coordinator / 沈崢嶸Shen Zhengrong
統籌Coordinators / 包聞軍Bao Wenjun 王乃毅Wang Naiyi
制作Creators / 劉瀏Liu Liu 陳澄Chen Cheng 朱娜Zhu Na 錢盈盈Qian Yingying 陳雨薇Chen Yuwei 王瑞楓Wang Ruifeng
美編Art Editor / 張迪Zhang Di
