China Silk Road

The most important reason for establishing the Silk Route was to carry out trade activities across distant areas. Goods like tea, silk, horses, etc., were traded through this road. The Silk Road is considered a convenient and extensive network for trade among large countries from East Asia to Europe and some parts of Africa. 

The Silk Road first became operational in several parts of Eastern China. Mongolia, Tibet, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, and Italy were some areas through which these roads passed. The roads in this network covered more than 4,000 miles of land from one end to another. 

What Was the China Silk Route Project?

Valuable items have been traded through these roads for centuries. Other than the transportation of goods, these roads were also a way to exchange thoughts, ideas, etc.

Moreover, gems, gunpowder, etc., were also transported through these silk roads. Gunpowder and gems were transported from the East to the West. This route also unwittingly became a passage for disease. The route encouraged slavery by facilitating the transport of slaves from the West to the East. The China Silk Road was famous and valued greatly at that time. Some facts about China Silk Road are:

•  The Silk Road became operational in 130 BC, over 2,100 years ago. 
•  The total length of the Silk Road was about 9,000 km. 
•  There were 5 Silk roads in China. 
•  The only longest ancient overland trade was the China Silk road. 

The Silk road impacted the value and exchange of art, religion, philosophy, science, technology, architecture, beliefs, and knowledge. 

Highly useful for transportation, this road was founded by Ross Ulbricht, popularly called the Dread Pirate Roberts. He operated Silk Road’s darknet marketplace in 2011, but it was shut down in 2013 on the orders of the US government. 

This road not only accelerated trade but also facilitated the exchange of culture. Buddhism, as a religion, was passed on to China through the Silk Road. Later, countries realised that the sea route was the quickest trade route. 

Reasons for the Decline of the Silk Route

The road was destroyed by China in the 15th century, and this was the main reason for the decline of the China Silk Road. Asia gradually lost Roman territory, and the rise of the Arabian power in the Levant rendered the China Silk Road unsafe. Before its decline, the Venetian Marco Polo used this road to travel to China in the 13th and 14th centuries, when the route was revived under the Mongols. But this road became the reason for the spread of a dangerous pandemic called the Black Death in Europe in the 14th century. 

The intellectual exchange also took place during the trading system through the China Silk Road, making the route more appealing to travellers. A German geographer and traveller, Ferdinand von Richthofen, first used the term Silk Road in 1877 CE. 

The Impact of the Silk Route on Trade 

Silk had become a major problem during the reign of Emperor Tiberius in the first century. The luxury fabric imported from China at expensive rates had become a symbol of class among the Romans. This road changed world history dramatically more than once. Trade via the China Silk Road was protected and supported by the Roman Empire, the Parthian Empire in West Asia, the Indo-Greek Empire, and the Kushan Empire. 

We learned about the China Silk Road in this article. We started with how this road is considered a trade route officially opened to facilitate trade between countries. It was started by the Han Dynasty in China in 130 BC.

This route remained open and in use till 1453 AD. It was later destroyed by China as better transportation options developed, especially via the sea. Also, the Ottoman Empire boycotted trade with China, which could be a key reason for the decline of the China Silk Road. This road was about 9,000 km long. 

It became an easy passage not only for goods and slaves but also for thoughts, ideas, art, technology, etc. The Chinese Silk Road started in several parts of Eastern China. Mongolia, Tibet, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, and Italy were some areas through which these roads passed. 

This route became a vast trade network, connecting Eurasia and North Africa via sea and land routes. It is famously called the world’s first global trade route in history. The Chinese Silk was valued greatly at the time, and it was the reason for the route being named the Silk Route China. The China Silk Road was simply a collection of routes that transported goods from Asia, Middle Asia, and Europe. 

Conclusion

The China Silk Road was considered important for the exchange of culture, art, philosophy, architecture, technology, religion, language, science, etc. However, the opening of more trade routes resulted in the exchange of problems such as disease and animals. This China Silk Road became operational in the 24th century, and its decline began in the 15th century.