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| China was the raison d'être of The Silk Road as the Chinese discovered silk, were the first to cultivate it for commercial purposes and sent out emissaries to the West, contacts which eventually led to the booming exports of this gossamer product.
Probably the first person to travel The Silk Road was Chinese. Zhang Qian set out west in the 2nd century BC to seek allies against the troublesome Huns. After a series of adventures, Zhang returned home 13 years later, full of information about kingdoms and peoples from far away.
Historians say the Chinese portion of The Silk Road, which ran for 4,000 kilometres, began in Chang'an (present-day Xian) and divided into at least two separate routes to avoid the deadly Takla Makan Desert, then passed through Kashgar and on to Samarkand. During the 2,000 years of Silk Road trade, the Chinese built cities and religious shrines, created artefacts and established colourful ethnic customs which can still be enjoyed today. |
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The Terracotta Soldiers and Horses of the Qin Dynasty amazed the world when discovered in 1974 by local farmers. Buried with the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty 2,000 years ago and meant to protect him in the afterlife, the 8,000 life-sized warriors and their steeds are a magnificent sight. The Ancient City of Chang'an, now called Xian, served as the capital of China during 11 dynasties and was the starting point for The Silk Road. The well-preserved old city wall and gate towers, the stunning Great Wild Goose Pagoda and the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum with its Silk Road Exhibit are all must-see attractions. Dunhuang, an ancient city on the trade route, is celebrated for the nearby Mogao Grottos, a series of 500 caves which contain the world's most valuable display of Buddhist art - manuscripts, some 2,400 painted sculptures and 45,000 square metres of frescoes. Western archaeologists looted many pieces, but what remains is astounding. Jiayuguan was a strategic garrison town for Chinese soldiers guarding the western end of the famous Great Wall and the Jiayuguan Pass from the fort. This imposing structure, with its massive walls, turrets, ramparts and watchtowers, provides a fascinating glimpse into the past. The Ancient City of Jiaohe is now on the list of UNESCO's historical and cultural sights, which protects the Tang Dynasty ruins of homes, garden walls, government offices, pottery kilns, temples and pagodas, all of which are still easily recognisable. The Mao Mausoleum in Shaanxi Province contains the remains of Emperor Han Wudi, who sent the first Chinese envoy west, opening up what was to become The Silk Road. The Qian Mausoleum in Shaanxi Province took 700,000 workers 36 years to build and is said to contain an entire imperial city which has yet to be excavated. The Maijishan Grottos in Gansu Province are almost 200 caves housing 7,000 Buddhist statues and wall paintings. The Ancient City of Gaochang in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region contains traces of Nestorian Christian, Persian and Manichean influences. Kashgar is the biggest oasis city in China and Central Asia and has a fascinating bazaar and strong Muslim character. |
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