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Unit7 The Silk road

The Silk Road refers to a transport route connecting ancient China with Central

Asia, West Asia, Africa , and the European continent . It appeared as early as the

second century and was traveled mainly by silk merchants. The term " Silk Road " ,

or “die Seidenstrasse〞in German , was first noted down by the German

geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen at the end of the 19th century.

The Silk Road began in Chang'an(present-day Xi'an,capital of Shaanxi

Province ) , passing through Gansu and Xinjiang to Central Asia , West Asia , and to

lands by the Mediterranean . There were no signs of communication between

ancient Chinese civilization and Mediterranean civilization in earlier history. In

about the seventh century BC, the ancient Greeks began to learn about an ancient

civilization to the east , yet knew little about it . Before the Silk Road , according to

archeological findings , there had already existed an intermittent(断断续续的) trade

route on the grasslands from the Yellow River and the Indus River drainage areas

to the Euphrates and the Tigris, and the Nile drainage areas .Yet real

communication between China , Central and West Asian countries Africa and the

European continent did not develop until the opening of the Silk Road .

The Silk Road functioned not only as a trade route but also as a bridge that

linked the ancient civilization of China , India , the Mesopotamian plains , Egypt

and Greece . It also helped to promote the exchange of science and technology

between east and west. The Silk Road served as the main channel for ancient China

to open up to the outside world , as well as for fresh impulses from other cultures

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to enter the country which contributed a significant share to the shaping of

Chinese culture.

Zhang Qian , Trail Blazer

The pioneer who blazed(开拓) the trail of the Silk Road was Zhang Qian ( c.

164-114 BC ) , a general of the Western Han Dynasty ( 206 BC - AD 25 ) . In Zhang

Qian's time, the Chinese had little knowledge about Central and West Asian

countries , Africa or Europe although they were aware of the existence of many

different countries and cultures in faraway place the west.

During the reign of Emperor Wu (r. 140 - 135 BC), there were 36 small

kingdoms in the Western Regions ( present-day Xinjiang and parts of Central

Asia ) . All of them were later conquered by the Huns , who then posed a direct

threat to the Western Han and blocked the dynasty's path west . Under these

circumstances ,Emperor Wu appointed Zhang Qian to lead a team of more than 1

0 0 envoys(使者) to the Westem Regions . The mission was to unite the

Indo-Scythic people against the Huns , who once killed their chieftain (首领 ) .

Zhang Qian's team set out in 138 sooner had they entered the Hexi Corridor

( northwest of present-day Gansu Province ) , than they were captured by the

Huns . After being held under house arrest for over ten years , Zhang Qian and

only one other remaining envoy managed to escape and return to Chang'an in 126

BC. Their accounts about the Western Regions were a revelation to the Han

emperor and his ministers .

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