The Silk Road is a route to discover the history and the ancient culture about China. In its Chinese section, it stretches more than 4,000km linking cities like Xi’an, Lanzhou, Xining, Dunhuang, Turpan and Urumqi from east to west China. In Silk Road’ heyday, Korean peninsula, Japan region, Indian peninsula, Mediterranean east bank area and Middle East region, all involved in this international trading route. Xi’an was the world richest city in the world and crowded by the merchant all across the globe in the Silk Road heyday. Today Xi’an is modern city of central China with similar population with London and yet still it is not the top ten best cities in China. In the west, it was during the time of the Byzantine Empire, the Silk Road reached its peak.
The Silk Road also represents an early phenomenon of political and cultural integration due to inter-regional trade. Immeresly goods and treasures were not the only thing that got exchanged through the ancient route, religions and cultural traditions were also spread along the Silk Roads. Buddhism and Islam both spread into China though the Silk Road, numerous western merchants settled down in ancient China and merged in those ethnic group people along the silk route.
The Silk Road was not just a road or a trading route, the concept also refers to both the terrestrial and the maritime routes connecting Asia and Europe. The overland Steppe route stretching through the Eurasian steppe is considered to be the ancestor to the Silk Road. It was during the Ming dynasty in ancient China, the maritime silk route had reached its peak. It was after the Ming dynasty —— during the Yuan dynasty that the world-known Venetian traveler Marco Polo followed silk route reached China overland via Khotan in 1287–88.
For many geographers and travelers, FAQ about the Silk Road: What are the actual travel sites along the silk route? How about the history of the Silk Road? How about the climate along the Silk Route? What is the route of China Silk Road? What are the cultural issues on the Silk Road ... All of the Silk Road facts and concerned issues can be found in this page!