The_Silk_Road(丝绸之路)

Introduction,TheSilkRoadreferstotheancienttraderouteconnectingAsiaContinentandEuropeanContinent,usuallyitcanbeclassifiedintoNorthernSilkRoadontheland，SouthernSilkRoadonthelandandtheSilkRoadonthesea.,Introduction,TheNorthernSilkRoadonthelandusuallyreferstotheroutesstartfromChangan(nowXian),travellingwesttoWuwei,passingthoughHexiCorridortoDunhuangandgowesttoEurope.,Introduction,TheSouthernSilkRoadonthelandusuallyreferstotheroutestartsfromSichuanProvinceandgosouthtoIndiaandBurma.ThisroadhasalsoplayedagreatroleinthewarbetweenChinaandJapan.,Introduction,TheSilkRoadontheseamainlystartedfromGuangzhou,Quanzhou,Dengzhou,Yangzhou,andMingzhouports,thenitgoeseasttoKorea,Japan,southtoEast-southerncountriesandwesttoEuropeandAfrica.,TheNorthernSilkRoadonthelandisthemostfamous,andWeknowitverywell.,Beginning,ItsveryhardtosayexactlywhentheSilkRoadstarted.Manyincoherentsmallscaletraderouteshaveexistedlongago.TheycanbeconsideredastheearliestSilkRoadbeginningform.,7,OriginatingfromChangan(thepresent-dayXian),theroutetraversedShanxiProvince,thehexicorridorinGansuprovince,theTarimBasininXingjing,thePamirmountainregion,Afghanistan,Iran,IraqandSyria,endingatMediterranean.,THESILKROADHanDynasty,TheSilkRoadformallystartedafterZhangQiansvisitingasanenvoytoWesternRegioninWesternHanDynasty.Hewenttheretwiceseparatelyin138B.Cand119B.C.HeplaysanimportantroleinexploringtheSilkRoad.,9,(164BC114BC),Anexplorer,traveleranddiplomatinHandynasty.,WhysentZhangQian?,10,11,TheancientSilkRoadinnorthwestChinahasahistoryofmorethantwothousandyears.Originally,theChinesetradedsilkinternallywithintheempire.Caravans旅行队fromtheempiresinteriorwouldcarrysilktothewesternedgesoftheregion.TheywereoftenattackedbythesmallCentralAsiantribeswhowantedtocapturethetradersvaluablecommodities.,TrailBlazerofTHESILKROAD,12,TheexpansionoftheHanempiremadetheSilkroadpossiblebyopeninguptraderoutes.Inordertoprotectthesecaravansandassurethesafetyofthetrade,theHanGovernmentdispatchedGeneralZhangQianasanenvoytobuildgoodrelationshipswiththesetribes.,TrailBlazerofTHESILKROAD,ZhangQianwassenttomakeanalliancewiththeHuns,whichwasneversuccessful.Hedidhoweverlearnaboutcropssuchasgrapes,amorepowerfulhorseforcombat,andestablishedtraderelationships.,ThefatheroftheSilkRoad,ZhangQian-fatherofSilkRoad,14,THESILKROADHanDynasty,StartingfromChangan,todaysXian,whichwasthecapitaloftheWesternHanDynasty,ZhangledhisteamacrossthevastWesternRegionsandreachedLoulan,GuiziandYutianstatesandestablishedtraderelationswiththesesmallkingdoms.,THESILKROADHanDynasty,AfterZhangQian,BanChaotookonamissiontotheWesternRegion,smoothingtheSilkRoadthathadbeenblockedbyexternalwars.HisassistantGanYingreachedDaqin(ancientRome)andevenwenttoPersianGulf,extendedtheSilkRoad.,16,THESILKROAD,Loulan,GuiziandYutianwerethreeimportantstatesintheWesternRegionatthattime.Theywereallabandonedforuncertainreasonsandtravelerstodaycanseeruinsofthesethreeonceflourishingplaces.,17,THESILKROAD,ZhangsofficerswentevenfurtherintothecentralAsia.AllofthekingdomsthatZhangandhisteamhadvisitedsenttheirenvoystovisitChangan(todaysXian)toexpresstheirappreciationforthenewrelationshipandshowtheirrespecttotheHanGovernment.,18,THESILKROAD,Fromthenon,merchantscouldtravelonthesilkroutesafely,andtheybegantoexplorethisnewrouteinordertocarrysilkfromChinatootherpartsoftheworld.,Silkwasavaluabletradegoodbecauseitwasacloththatwasstrong,warm,light,andsoft.ItwasvaluablebecauseatthetimeonlytheChineseknewhowtomakeit.UnderHanrulerevealingthesilkmakingprocesswaspunishablebydeath.,Silkasatradegood,WhatdidtheSilkRoadfunctioninthepast?,20,-Traderoute-AbridagethatlinkedAncientChinatotheoutsideworld-,TheSilkRoadwasoneofthereasonstheHandynastyprosperedwithanetworkofsmallertraderoutesthatstretchedmorethanfourthousandmiles.TheRomanempiredominatedtheMediterranean,butthesilkroadconnectedbothpowerfulempiresandlinkedthepeopleoftheeastandthewestforoverathousandyears.,TheSilkRoad,Whenpeopleofotherculturelearnedaboutsilk,itwasahighlyprizedmaterial.Theromanwantedsilkanditwasconsideredluxuryitem.TheRomantradedglasswareandgoldsomethingtheChinesereallywanted.,Rometradesglasswareforsilk,TangDynasty,TheTangDynastygovernmentpaidmoreattentiontotheSilkRoad.UnliketheSilkRoadinHanDynasty,TangDynastyhadcontroloversomeareasofWesternRegionandCentralAsiaalongtheroad,establishingeffectiveandsturdyorders,whichclearedobstaclesforChinesebusinessmen.,24,THESILKROAD,ThefamousChineseMonkXuanzanginTangDynastytraveledalongtheSilkRoadduringtheTangDynasty.,25,THESILKROAD,ThefamousChineseMonkXuanzanginTangDynastytraveledalongtheSilkRoadduringtheTangDynasty.,XuanzangbeganhistripfromChangan(todaysXian)andpassedthroughtheGanSuCorridor,HaMi,TurPanandcontinuedhisjourneywestwardtoIndia.Xuanzangwassurprisedbythewarmreceptionhereceivedalonghisway.,26,THESILKROAD,Itwascommonlybelievedthatpeopleinthosestateswerebrutal,wildanduncontrollable.XuangzangstripchangedtheattitudetowardthenomadictribesintheWesternRegionandthiscontributedgreatlytotheTanggovernmentsfriendlyrelationshipwiththesestates.,TangDynasty,AfterAnShiRebellioninTangDynasty,theempirefelldown.By760AD,theTangGovernmenthadlostcontroloftheWesternRegionandthetradeontheSilkRoadwashalted.,YuanDynasty,ThesilkroadonthelandrevivedgreatlyduringYuanDynastyperiodwhenChinabecamelargelydependentonitssilktrade.GenghisKhanconqueredallthesmallstates,unifiedChinaandbuiltalargeempireunderhisrule.,29,THESILKROADYuanDynasty,TradealongtheSilkRoadreacheditszenithduringthisperiod.ThefamoustravelerMarcoPolotraveledalongtheSilkRoadvisitingDaDuthatistodaysBeijingandwrotehisfamousbookabouttheorientandintroducedChinatowesterncountriessystematically.,30,THESILKROAD,Asoverlandtradebecameincreasinglydangerous,andtravelbyseabecamemorepopular,tradealongtheSilkRoaddeclined.WhiletheChinesedidmaintainasilk-furtradewiththeRussiansnorthoftheoriginalSilkRoute.,Declination,Bytheendofthefourteenthcentury,tradeandtravelalongtheroadhaddecreasedsignificantly.GraduallyitwasreplacedbytheSilkRoadonthesea.,32,THESILKROAD,TheSilkRoadwasdefinitelyanimportantpathforcultural,commercialandtechnologicalexchangebetweentraders,merchants,pilgrim,missionariesevensoldiers.Duringmorethan2000years,theroadimprovedthetransferfromnomadstourbandwellersacrosstheAsiancontinenteventhecountriesborderinguponMediterranean.,Influence,TheSilkRoadgreatlypromotedtheexchangesofeconomy,technologyandcultureamongtheAsian,theEuropeanandtheAfrican.itmadethewholeworldcolorful.,TheSilkroadwasnotonecontinuousroute,butaseriesofshortertraderoutessothegoodscouldchangemanytimebeforereachingthefinaldestination.FromLuoyang,thesilkroadledwestalongtheGobiDeserttoDunhuanginNorthwesternChina.TravelersrodeaCamelontheeasternsilkroad.FromDunhuangtravelerschooseeitheranorthernorsouthernrouteacrosstheTaklimandeserttoKashgar.Travelersfacedmanyproblemssuchasbanditsoftenattacking,sandstorms,andlackofwater.,TheEasternSilkRoad,Silkwastheperfecttradinggood,becauseitwaslightandvaluable.Goodshadtobeeasilycarriedsothatmerchantscouldtransportmoregoodsonfeweranimals.Besidessilk,theChinesealsotradedfinedishware,ornaments,jewelry,castironproducts,anddecorativeboxes.TheChinesereceivedavarietyoftradesfortheirgoodssuchashorses,jade,furs,gold,cotton,spices,pearls,andivory.,Goodsexchangedalongtheeasternsilkroad,KashgarwasthecentraltradingpointandtheytraveledWestward.InsteadofcarryinggoodsbycameltheycarriedgoodsbyYak.TheWesternSilkroadwentthroughmountains,deserts,andthenfinallyreachedtheMediterraneanports.ThedangersoftheWesternSilkroadweretreacherousMountainsknowas“Trailofbones.”IntheSyrianDeserttraderswerethreatenedbytigers,lions,andscorpions.,TheWesternSilkRoad,RomesentanumberofproductstobeexchangedforChinesesilksuchasvases,trays,smallbottles,asbestos,andgold.TiberiustheemperorofRomepassedalawwhereitwasillegaltowearsilk.ItwasbelievedthatTiberiusthoughitwouldmaketheRomanslooksoftandweak,butmanybelieveditwasbecauseoftheshortageofgold.,Goodsexcahngedalongthewesternsilkroad,Thetradebetweeneastandwestcreatedculturaldiffusion.By500B.C.E.theWestandeasthadlearnedtomakenewproductsfromeachothersuchasglassandsilk.WiththesharingofculturessuchasIndia,Buddhismspreadthroughoutchinaandothersurroundingcivilizations.Foodwerealsobroughtthroughoutthesilkroad.Chinaimportednewfoodsuchasgrapes,figs,pomegranates,andwalnuts.TheWestimportedoranges,peaches,pears,anddifferentflowerssuchaschrysanthemums.,CulturalExchangesandtheSilkRoad,39,THESILKROAD,TheemergenceoftheSilkRoadvigorouslypromotedtheEast-Westeconomic,culturalexchanges,andcontributedtotheriseoftheHanDynasty.Furthermore,thatrouteisakeypathwayofIntercoursebetweenEastandWest,either.,40,Astheroadtothewestwaspopularlyknownforitstradeofsilk,whichwaspricedasvaluableasgold,thatcommercialroutecametobeknownastheSilkRoad.,41,.RoutesoftheSilkRoad,Generallyspeaking,thereweretwomajorroutes:onewasoverland,theotherwasacrosstheIndianOcean.,42,Thesearouteof“SilkRoad”normallystartsfromGuangxiorelseporttownsonthesoutheasterncoastofChina.AfleetextendsitsvoyagethroughtheseaofJapan,theYellowSea,SouthChinaSea,theBayofBengal（孟加拉湾）,aroundtheMalayPeninsula,offthecoastofBurma,andcametoSoutheastAsiaandtheIndiaPeninsula.Then,itcontinuesalongarouteacrosstheIndianOcean,theArabSea,thePersianGulf(波斯湾),theRedseaandfinallyarrivesatdestinationportsofAfricaorEurope.,43,GuangxitheseaofJapantheBayofBengaltheIndiaPeninsul