Silk Road (or Silk Route), an international road of historical significance, refers to an ancient trade route that has connected the civilizations from China, India, Persia, and Arabia with those from Greece and Rome, and thus promoted the interchange between East and West. The ancient road has its start in Chang'an (now Xi'an), the capital of Tang Dynasty, reaches the Yellow River at Lanzhou, then, skirted westward along deserts and mountains before dividing into three routes at the oasis of Dunhuang, ran across Xinjiang in which is nearly about half way on silk road, and its terminus on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Therefore, Xinjiang, situated in the center of the Eurasian continent has been an important section of the ancient Silk Road and a place of the economic and cultural interchange between East and West , a place where many men of fame in history have lift their footprints behind them and a place rich in highly prized historic relics and sites.
Much of the Silk Road is taken up the Taklimakan Desert, one of the most hostile environments on our planet. There is very little vegetation, and almost no rainfall; sandstorms are very common, and have claimed the lives of countless people. The locals have a very great respect for this "Land of Death". It covers a vast area, through which few roads pass; caravans throughout history have skirted its edges, from one isolated oasis to the next.
The route enabled people to transport trade goods, such as silk, ironware, yellow and white metals, brass mirrors, lacquered bamboo ware, medicine and techniques of farming and metallurgy. And in return, things like clover, grapes, flax, pomegranates, walnuts, cucumbers, carrots, saffron from different parts of the country in China, India, and Asia Minor to the Mediterranean, extending over 8,000 km (5,000 miles). Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the great civilizations of China, Egypt, Persia, Arabia, India, Rome, and Byzantium and helped to lay the foundations for the modern world in several respects. Although the term, the Silk Road, implies a continuous journey, very few travelers traveled the route from end to end. For the most part, goods were transported by a series of agents on varying routes and trade took place in the bustling mercantile markets of the oasis towns.
The Central Asian part of the trade route was initiated around 114 BC by the Han Dynasty largely through the missions and explorations of Zhang Qian, an outstanding diplomat, who opened the way to the Western Region, the way connecting the East and West of the world. Although earlier trade across the continents had already existed, in the late Middle Ages, use of the Silk Road declined as sea trade increased.
Crossing Shaanxi, Gansu, Hexi Corridor, Xinjiang and many other great places in China, the Silk Road is definitely worthy of your visit. Xian, Xiahe, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Urumqi, Turpan, Hotan and other cities and towns are full of historical culture relics and beautiful scenery.