Question

Enumerate the importance of silk routes?

Answer 1

Before we talk about the importance of the Silk Road let’s talk about what was the Silk Road. “From the second century BC to the end of the fourteenth century AD, a great trade route originated from Chang'an (now Xian) in the east and ended at the Mediterranean in the west, linking China with the Roman Empire.”[1] Now that we know what the Silk Road is let’s talk about its importance like said above it connected East to West. “First caravan on the Silk Road transported the rare animals, plants, leather goods, herbs, spices, jewelry from the west to east, then trade them for Chinese silk, tea, porcelain, and other goods. These goods enriched Western and Eastern people’s daily life. Secondly, after the opening of the Silk Road, smelting and sinking technique of the Central Plains spread to the Central Asia promoting the improvement of the social production levels and economic development in the Western Region; China’s four great inventions and Silk weaving technology, lacquer arts also via the Silk Road pass all parts of the world to promote the process of world civilization. Thirdly, after the opening of the Silk Road, the increasingly frequent diplomatic activity between Western Regions and central China closed political ties of each other. At the same time, some Western countries such as Persian, Roman Empire also sent envoys to China. That promoted the exchange of Chinese and Western cultures. Fourth, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism and Nestorian came with the Silk Road in China becoming many people’s faith and spread to the Korean Peninsula, Japan and other Asian countries along the Silk Road branch. In addition, the Silk Road has great significance in promoting ethnic blend of art and cultural exchange.

Answer 2

(i) The silk routes are a great symbol of vibrating pre-modem commerce and social connections among the different parts of the world.

(ii) The silk route was utilized by Chinese merchants to transport silk to different nations.

(iii) These routes were utilized by merchants to exchange commodities from one nation to another.

(iv) Trade and cultural interchange perpetually operated hand in hand. Early Christian preachers absolutely progressed through this route to Asia, followed by the early Muslim missionaries, a few centuries later.

(v) These routes were also utilized to disperse the spirituality of Buddhism developed from east India .