The Silk Road of Southwestern China(西南丝绸之路)

The Silk Road of Southwestern China

1. 2.3. 4.Introduction of Silk Roads A story about Southwestern Silk Road

The route of Southwestern Silk Road

The influences of Southwestern Silk Road

CONTENTS CONTENTS

The Silk RoadThere is no doubt that trade networks like the SilkRoad made possible the flourishing and spread of ancient civilizations to something approximating a global culture of the times. —— Robert Clark

In thirteenth century, Marco Polo ventured toward China along the silk road. In his book, Marco described the prosperous trade. Goods, people and ideas all travelled along these long-distance routes spanning or circumventing the vast landmass of Eurasia.

Three Silk Roads in history

1

Northern routeThe northern route started at Chang’ an, an ancient capital ofChina that was moved further east during the Later Han to Luoyang. The route was defined around the first century when Han Wudi put an end to harassment by nomadic tribes.

2

Southwestern routeThe southwestern route start from Central China through the mountainous areas of Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces into eastern states of South Asia.

3

Southern routeThe southern route or Karakoram route was mainly a single route running from China through the Karakoram mountains.

A little storyIn 122.BC, Zhang qian was ordered to go to the western regions. When he come back, Han Wudi was glad about the booming trade, So Han Wudi decided to build the road from China to India. However, it was very difficult, because the natives in western regions prevented the progress to protect their profit.

Han Wudi was very angry, he mustered an army to destroy the natives’ resistance. The war lasted for decades, and many natives were killed. Finally, the Road was built.

The starting point of the Southwestern Silk Road on the Chinese side was Chengdu. The primary route passed through Yunnan, Myanmar (Burma) and into South Asia. This route, known as the India Route(蜀身毒道).

The route

The Silk Road is about 2000 kilometers. It is a multi-element and tri-demensional communication network.

The “India Route” split into two branches as it passed through Sichuan into Yunnan. One branch, known as the “Old Yak Route” (古牦 牛道) extended from Chengdu southwest across the Sichuan Basin plain to the foothills

The route

of Mingshan mountains. From here the route continued southwest along Qinyi River to Ya’an, once an important center for tea trade with connections through the Tibetan Plateau.

From Ya’an , these merchants and piligrims traveled upstream along Jinsha River, and finally southwest to Dali on Lake Erhai. From Dali one took one of three routes to cross through Myanmar on one’s way to India.

The route

These routes were collectively known as the Bonan Route(博南 道) or Yongchang Route(永昌道) in the Han period, and the Western Dian-Tianzhu Route (西滇天竺道) in the Tang.

ChengduStarting point

Old towns

IndiaDestination

The goods in the Silk Road

SilkThe traditional exports were silk, and they were usually well received abroad.

TeaTea is the chief exports.

War horsesThe war horses were the import goods.

Tea and war horses were the most important goods in the Silk Road. So it has another name “Tea and Horse Trade Route”(茶马古道).

The influences of Southwestern Silk RoadBooming trade. Silk and tea Knowing western countries’ customs, diet and the way

of communicating.

Advanced technology can make people’ lives convenient.

Buddhism ( 佛 教 ) is the most influential

Economic Technology Religion Culture

religion.

Revisiting the Silk Road.Silk Road is not only a road, but it represents China’s traditional culture. If we wanted to learn it deeply, we should revisit the Silk Road.