From Galloping Messengers to One-Click Delivery: The Lychee Journey from Chang'an to Today.
- Written by Telegraph Magazine
BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 October 2025 - A thousand years ago, delivering fresh lychees from southern China to the capital, Chang'an, took over a week—and exhausted entire relays of horses.
Today, the same journey takes just 24 hours. 
This dramatic change illustrates the rise of China's modern logistics network: a nationwide system connecting producers, markets, and households with unprecedented speed and scale.
Three pillars make this possible.
The first is infrastructure—high-speed rail, mega-ports, and last-mile delivery stations across urban and rural areas. Smart cold-chain trucks and automated warehouses ensure fresh goods like lychees arrive on time and in perfect condition.
The second is digital empowerment. AI algorithms optimize delivery routes, logistics platforms offer real-time tracking, and unified standards streamline cross-regional shipments. It's a digital nervous system that keeps everything running smoothly.
The third—and most fundamental—is massive consumer demand. In 2024, China's cold-chain logistics demand reached 365 million tons, and express deliveries surpassed 170 billion parcels. Behind every order is a consumer expecting quality, speed, and reliability.
As China enters its 15th Five-Year Plan, this system will continue to evolve—lowering costs, increasing efficiency, and supporting the growth of a unified national market.
From "a steed raising red dust" to "one-click delivery," China's logistics story reflects not just the faster movement of goods, but a deeper transformation: one that brings markets closer, empowers industries, and delivers better lives.
Producer: Yu Lan
Executive Producer: Wu Qingcai
Chief Coordinator: Zhou Rui
Planner: Wang Qingkai
Scriptwriter: Li Yuxin
Cameramen: Chen Qingyang, Wang Yue
Lighting: Sun Hongwei, Yang Siyu
Editor: Chen Qingyang
Designer: Huang Lei
Visual Packagers: Huang Lei, Chen Qingyang
Translators: Feng Shuang, Chen Tianhao, Zhao Li
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
