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| Chinese
History |
The Silk
Road
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The Silk Road
“The Silk Road” is a term used to describe
a number of main trade routes that crossed the face
of the ancient world. It linked the main civilizations
of the time: Egypt, Persia, India, Mesopotamia, and
China. By extension and time, it also served East
Africa and well as Southern Europe. The Silk Road
was frequented by traders, soldiers, philosophers,
missionaries, and slaves. Goods were not restricted
to silk, but included items such as: Lapis Lazuli,
Gold, Satin, Musk, Perfumes, medicines, jewels, glass,
pottery, and even rhubarb! In addition, the route
served to carry new ideas and inventions; and spread
knowledge, especially of cultures and diseases. Please
also consider that not many people would actually
travel the whole length of The Silk Road. Most were
stagers taking goods between two main outposts along
the route. These they would know well and be current
regarding the activities of bandits, weather, sandstorms,
etc
Before we restrict ourselves solely to China, it
is worth bearing in mind that Urgars (Uyghur's) from
what is now Western China/Northern Afghanistan, traded
Nephrite Jade and Lapis Lazuli with Western and Sino
civilizations as early as 2 millennium BC. Silks discovered
in Egypt dating back to 1070 BC came from China. One
of the very earliest trade routes was by sea, linking
modern Guangzhou (Nanhai [Foshan], Canton) with India
and Egypt.
China
What we usually refer to as “The Silk Road”
implies trade routes between China and the West. There
were four main routes: Northern and Southern passes
of the Taklamakan Dessert (Winter and Summer routes);
Southern route through Yunnan Province, via extremely
difficult terrain to Burma (Myanmar) and hence on
to India; and of course the “Silk Road of the
Sea” from Guangzhou
The general consensus is that this was the main period
of use that lasted for about 1, 700 years. Opening-up
the land-trade routes was a direct result of Alexander
the Great, who in 329 BC established a frontier town
in Tajikistan. This is consistent with the latter
years of The Warring States Period of the Zhou Dynasty
in Central China (The North East). Early trade would
have been with other Chinese peoples, such as The
Bon of Tibet and parts of present-day Sichuan Province
(Chongqing and Chengdu), The Urgars themselves held
sway in Eastern China, and still do to this very day.
Peoples of Yunnan Province in the extreme south of
inland China also had there own cultures, peoples,
and Kingdoms. The Southeast (Guangzhou) also had different
peoples – and unlike their brothers to the North,
they were not fighting. Hence, trade develops over
generations, and trade routes with staging posts come
into being.
Trade was formalised in 130 BC, when The Han Dynasty
sent Ambassadors to central Asian cities [Ferghana (Dayuan),
Bactria (Ta-Hsia), and Parthian Empire (Anxi)]. At one
point, the Roman Senate banned Chinese silk, as it was
being traded for their Gold, and this is recorded by
Pliny the Elder. The next notable event was the adventures
of a young European called Marco Polo, perhaps you've
heard of him? Well, in fact the Silk Road had been in
operation for a very long time before his journey’s,
but he serves as a reference point for many foreigners.
Over centuries power changes hands, and the advent of
the Mongols (Yuan Dynasty) led by Genghis Khan (And
later his Nephew Kublai Khan), had a very great impact
on the entire ‘known’ world. During their
century of rule in China trade flourished, and we for
the first time see the outline map of modern China.
After their decline, the Ming Dynasty ‘Closed’
China, trade in general stopped, and the central Silk
Roads came to an untimely end for a long period. Caravanserai
still passed the Taklamakan dessert during this closed
period, but mainly ushering cultural exchanges, often
in the form of Jesuit priests and Moslem devotees.
However, the southern pass and the sea route still remained
open, even if unofficially, and things eventually came
an international point of contention that resulted in
the Opium Wars. These in turn forcefully opened trade
routes, destabilising and emasculating the Qing Empire
in the process. Of these you will know Hong Kong, Macao,
Shanghai and Xiamen (Amoy). And this in turn brings
us to modern history and current trading practices. |
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This
information is as supplied by Wikipedia, as dated March
2009 or later, and/or other reliable sources.
Maps (Unless stated otherwise)
are provided in association with Thomas Lessman
Web: www.worldhistorymaps.info
Disclaimer:
Please check this information yourself as it may alter
without notice, and whilst we try our best to ensure
it is correct, please do not hold us responsible for
any errors - this is intended as a simple guide only |
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