Silk Road
Introduction
The Silk Road was a network of trade routes which connected the East and West, and was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between these regions from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century. The Silk Road primarily refers to the terrestrial routes connecting East Asia and Southeast Asia with South Asia, Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and Southern Europe.
History
The Silk Road derives its name from the lucrative trade in silk carried out along its length, beginning in the Han dynasty in China (207 BCE–220 CE). The Han dynasty expanded the Central Asian section of the trade routes around 114 BCE through the missions and explorations of the Chinese imperial envoy, Zhang Qian. The Chinese took great interest in the safety of their trade products and extended the Great Wall of China to ensure the protection of the trade route.
Trade on the Silk Road
Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the civilizations of China, the Indian subcontinent, Persia, Europe, and Arabia. It opened long-distance, political and economic interactions between the civilizations. Though silk was certainly the major trade item from China, many other goods were traded, and religions, syncretic philosophies, and various technologies, as well as diseases, also traveled along the Silk Routes.
Geography
The Silk Road extended from China, through India, Persia, and Arabia, into eastern Europe. It passed through some of the harshest and most inhospitable terrains, including the cold and barren deserts of Central Asia.
Impact
The Silk Road was instrumental in the spread of religions throughout Eurasia. Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam all spread across the world along the Silk Road. It also played a key role in the transmission of art and literature, bringing Eastern culture to the West and vice versa.
Decline and Disappearance
The Silk Road stopped serving as a shipping route for silk around 1453 CE, when the Ottoman Empire boycotted trade with China and closed it. Although it remained in use for local trade, its decline began in the 8th century and by the 13th century, it was largely replaced by sea routes.
Modern Silk Road
In the 21st century, the concept of the Silk Road has seen a revival in the form of the "Belt and Road Initiative", an ambitious development project launched by the Chinese government in 2013 to boost trade and stimulate economic growth across Asia and beyond.