Information About Silk Route: Silk Road Facts and History You Should Know

The Silk Route is a historic trade route that connected the East and West. The route created a network that could link China with Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. It was active from the second century BC till the 14th century AD! However, this wasn’t just a trade route. It facilitated the exchange of groundbreaking technologies and luxury goods.. This blog covers powerful information about Silk Route. You can also learn about some interesting Silk Road facts and history.

What is the Silk Route?

The Silk Route is a trade network that was able to connect China with Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa. This route was there from the 2nd century BC to the 14th century AD. Silk was a commodity that was highly valued during ancient times. Therefore, the route came to be known as the Silk Road. These are some key information about the Silk Route.

1. Apart from silk, the trade of spices, precious stones, tea, gold, ceramics, silver, and ideas took place.
2. This wasn’t a single road. Instead, it was a network of land and sea paths that covered 4000 miles and linked countries like China, India, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Italy.

Who Discovered the Silk Route?

The Silk Route has evolved over centuries of commerce. Often, one person is highlighted, Zhang Quian. 

1. Zhang Qian was a Chinese diplomat of the Han Dynasty (138 BC). He was sent on a mission to form alliances with the Central Asian countries
2. His journey helped open trade channels between China and Western countries. Therefore, cultural and trade exchanges took place.
3. Zhang Quian was not the sole discoverer of the Silk Road. However, his contributions were important for the expansion of the Silk Road.

History of the Silk Road

Want to learn in-depth information about Silk Route? Let’s learn about the history. We have divided the historical accounts to early start, golden age, decline and legacy/

Early Beginnings

The Han Dynasty was responsible for the start of the Silk Road. The route became important as the Chinese products reached other markets. Besides this the Zhang Qian’s diplomatic missions opened up trade routes to Central Asia.

Golden Age

The Silk Route reached its golden age at the time of the Tang Dynasty (618 and 907 AD). Cities such as Samarkand and Chang’an thrived as areas of culture and commerce. Besides this, religious and cultural exchanges happened. Ideas like Christianity, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism spread. Innovations like gunpowder and papermaking also became popular.

Decline and Legacy

By the 14th century the emphasis was shifted to the sea routes. The faster maritime routes resulted in the decline of the Silk Road’s importance. However, starting from 2013, China tried to revive the Silk Road through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),

What is the Importance of the Silk Road?

Now that you are clear about the historical information about the Silk Route, let’s look at its importance. The Silk Road is considered important for many reasons. Some of these reasons are as follows-

1. It facilitated the spread of religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. Exchange of art, literature and philosophies also took place.
2. Besides this, there was economic growth. Areas like Samarkand, Xi’an, and Constantinople become economic hubs.
3. There was the transfer of innovations like gunpowder, paper, the compass and silk-making techniques.
4. Furthermore, the Silk Road facilitated diplomatic ties between powerful empires like the Roman and Han Empires. It also brought about periods of peace known as Pax Mongolica.

Also Read: Facts About Great Wall of China: 10 Facts That Will Surprise You

Silk Road Facts and History: 10 Fascinating Facts

These are some interesting Silk road facts and history that you should know about. Let us know which fact surprised you the most.

1. Beyond silk, there was trade of jade, spices, porcelain, and exotic animals.
2. Maritime Silk Routes played a significant role along with the main path.
3. The trade route also led to the spread of diseases like the Black Death across Europe.
4. It led to the spread of foods and culinary techniques. This influenced the dishes of the East in the West.
5. Smuggling of silkworm eggs was prevalent. This damaged the monopoly of silk worms held by China.
6. This was an example of an early globalised world 
7. Chinese merchants were the first to start forms of paper currency to ease trading.
8. There was a nomadic influence. Groups like the ogdians acted as intermediaries.
9. Genghis Khan’s rule set up standard laws. This brought about peace and prosperity.
10. The One Belt and Road Initiative is the present-day effort of China to revive the Silk Road. This will facilitate trade and infrastructure of the country with 150+ countries.

10 Secrets the Silk Route Never Told You

Want to know more Silk road facts and history? Below, we have provided some of the lesser-known information about Silk Road.

1. The Ancient Sogdian traders (or the Wall Street brokers of China)  used the hawala-style banking system to move funds across continents. Therefore, they did not have to physically lift currencies.
2. Chinese soldiers used to wear silk underwear. Arrows were easier to extract from Silk wounds. Therefore, this was a military advantage.
3. Buddhist monks made use of the Silk Road to spread their teachings.  This led to multilingual edicts along the trade route.
4. The Mongols created a ‘Yam system’. The Yam system was a horseback relay network that had stops to rest every 20 miles.
5. Ice cream originated when the Chinese traders mixed milk and fruit from the Himalayas. This became a widespread recipe that reached Persia.
6. Persian geographer Ibn Battuta (14th century) wrote about his travels in the Silk Road. This memoir inspired several generations of explorers. This is similar to a viral blog post.
7. The Paper Money invented in China was revolutionary. Marco Polo even called it witchcraft.
8. The Little Ice Age (14th–19th century) dried by rivers. Therefore, crossings in the desert have become a hurdle. Therefore focus was shifted to maritime routes.
9. The Sogdian women were able to run businesses, own property and even lead caravans in a male-dominated time.
10. The satellites are now finding buried Silk Route cities in deserts. This was able to reveal forgotten trade hubs and lost temples

Reviving the Silk Route: China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Another information about Silk Road is that China is trying to revive it. Starting from 2013, China started its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI. This is also known as the “One Belt, One Road’’. This is an effort made to modernise and reconnect the Silk Road. This initiative now includes around 150 countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road links the Chinese ports to Europe and Africa. Modern freight trains like those going from China to London would be able to provide a faster alternative to traditional methods of shipping.

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