The Silk Road

Maybe you have heard about the Silk Road[①] or read it yourself long before so that

you have already understood the constantly changing and endless barren desert as well

as its quietness. Maybe you have met it in the numerous words before. Haven’t you

understood its brilliance hidden in the relics on the ancient route left to us by our

ancestors that has gone through the test of over 2000 years of trials and hardships?

And then do you still want to listen to the bells on the camels that have been pleasant

to your ears for years in and out along this historical route that goes through Asia

and Europe and maintains the civilization of east and west and appreciate the

flourishment and continuous flow on the broad ancient route? Well, let’s read the Silk

Road in the virtual world built by the net technology!

A 10,000-li silver ribbon, starting at Chang’an (Xi’an today), the ancient capital of

China, and ending at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea[②], links up fields,

deserts, grasslands, and mountains. This is the Silk Road famed in world history, the

first thoroughfare that links up China with the West.

2000 ago, our ancestors opened up a great road--the Silk Road.

China was the first country in the world to breed silkworms[③] and produce silk. The

Silk Road was first conceived during the Zhou and Qin dynasties. From 138--139B.C.,

Zhang Qian, outstanding Western Han diplomat and traveler, first “blazed a trail” in

the West, and the Silk Road was formally inaugurated as China’s “national road”

linking up the east and west. Holding a tasseled staff and “driving enormous herds of

sheep and cattle and bringing quantities of golden coins and rolls of silk,” Zhang

Qian set out with a retune of 100 and 300 in two trips from Chang’an and reached

Loulan (around Roujiang today), Yuli, Quick (Kula today), Shula (Kashi today), Yutan

(Hotan today) and Wunsun (the Ill River valley today), as well as Dayuan, Kanju, kand

Dayuezhi, now in Xinjiang and the Amu-Darya River valley in Central Asia. His assistant

even went as far as Ansi (Iran) and Xindu (India) for friendly visits. In return,

envoys [④]from these countries also visited China, and merchants were continually on

the way.

In 73 AD, Ban Zhao embarked on a mission to the western region with a 36-man retinue,

ensuring the smooth operation of the Silk Road which had once been blocked by war. His

deputy Gan Ying reached Daqin (ancient Rome) and toured the Persian Gulf (Arabic Gulf),

extending the Silk Road.

The ancient Silk Road linked Chinese culture with that of India, Greece, Rome and

Persian from one century to the other, carried the great Chinese inventions of silk,

gunpowder, papermaking and printing[⑤] to the West and brought Buddhism, Nestorianism,

and Islam and their related arts and cultures into China. From time immemorial, the

Silk Road has been a route of friendly intercourse between the Chinese and foreign

people.

Chinese silk, ironware, gold and platinum[⑥], bronze mirrors, lacquer and bamboo

wares, drugs and farming and smelting technology passed through the western region to

India and Europe. Alfalfa, grapes, sesame, pomegranates, walnuts, cucumbers, carrots,

safflowers, as well as lions, peacocks, elephants, camels and horses from the western

region also found their way into the Chinese interior. A passage from the West Region:

History of the Han Dynasty, documents the trade between China and foreign countries: “

The emperor’s household was filled with pearls, rhinoceros horns and peacock feathers.

Palace officials’ stables were crowded with thoroughbred horses: elephants, lions,

mastiffs and peacocks roam the menagerie. Exotic articles poured in from every quarter.

”

Fa Xian and Xuan Zang, eminent monks of the Jin and Tang Dynasties, journeyed to more

than 30 countries including Kashmir, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka along the Silk Road

in 366 and 627 (or 629). The Lands of Buddhism by Fa Xian and the West Region by Xuan

Zang were important references in research on the histories of the West Region and

India, and the Silk Road.

1222-1223, Yelu Chucai, a Yuan dynasty poet, and Qiu Chuji, leader of Taoism[⑦],

traveled west and made lively notes on the scenes along northern Xinjiang and the

central Asian region.

The ancient Silk Road linked Chinese culture with that of India, Greece, Rome and

Persian from one century to the other, carried the great Chinese inventions of silk,

gunpowder, papermaking and printing to the West and brought Buddhism, Nestorianism, and

Islam and their related arts and cultures into China. From time immemorial, the Silk

Road has been a route of friendly intercourse between the Chinese and foreign people.

The ancient Silk Road yields a wealth of world famous treasures. A series of passes,

castles, grotto temples, courier stations, burial sites and beacon towers shine with

brilliance.

The greater part of the Silk Road threads its way through Xinjiang. Ancient travelers

left behind many historical records and invaluable relic[⑧]s.

And all this reminds people from time to time that the Chinese nation had spread its

splendid but unique ancient civilization to the west and even to the whole world

through this main route so that the people all over the world could understand its

great oriental civilization.

It used to be the main artery of communication and cultural exchange between China and

the western countries.

 

 

Language point:

 

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[①] The Silk Road:丝绸之路。

[②] Mediterranean Sea：地中海

[③] silkworm：蚕,桑蚕[C]

[④] envoy：使者;外交使节

[⑤] gunpowder, papermaking and printing：火药，造纸，印刷术。

[⑥] platinum：铂,白金[U]

[⑦] Taoism：道教道家的学说

[⑧] relic：遗物;遗风,遗俗[C][(+of)]

 

Summary：本文主要讲述了与丝绸之路有关的历史背景、历史事件，介绍了丝绸之路的形成过程，及与之相关的历史人物。文中涉及了许多著名的地点及许多中国特色的发明，如火药、造纸等。文章为读者阐释了丝绸之路的产生及发展原因，使读者能更加深入的理解丝绸之路的历史意义，了解中国古代文化。