One of the many legendary trade routes in the world, the Great Silk Road in
China features in the top of the list. Coveted by the West, and found and
manufactured in the east, the Great Silk Road in China was devise of mankind to
satiate this demand. The Great Silk Road in China also stands as a testimony of
the commerce in the ancient world. The Great Silk Road in China is an 8,000 Km
long route over land and sea, stretching across countries and continents, all
the way from China to the Mediterranean. In fact the Great Silk Road is a huge
factor that shaped the history of all the nations through which it passed.
The name of the Great Silk Road in China was coined by a German Geography
expert named Ferdinand Von Richthofen from the german word "Seidenstraße"
which translates as 'Silk Route'. The Great Silk Road in China begins from Xi'an
in the Shaanxi Province in China. Traversed by caravan for a span of 2,000 years,
the consignments mostly included silk; from which the road got its name. However,
silk was not the only commodity to take to the Great Silk Road in China. Some
of the other goods include gold, artifacts, Jade, glass, antiques, tea and spices
as well. Apart from filling in the silk and spice deficiency in the West, the
Great Silk Road in China also contributed in a big way to the export and assimilation
of culture, religion and philosophies of China and those of the countries that
fell in the path. The trade route began in the era of the Han Dynasty.
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