Summary

How a pivotal voyage in the Han dynasty became the foundation of the famous Silk Road.

Script

Silk and spices from the Far East always played a remarkable role in international relations, resulting in the first wave of globalization, connecting eastern and western markets and engendering immense wealth.

The expedition of Zhang Qian in 138 BC during the Han dynasty is considered to be the foundation of the first “Silk Road”. This pivotal voyage proved that, not only was it possible to safely travel to the west, there was a big appetite for an exchange of goods, especially China’s most precious commodity, silk. Interestingly, the ancient Greek word for China is “Seres” which literally means “the land of silk”.

The original silk road followed several different routes, all of which originated in China, and extended to the Mediterranean through the Arabic world of modern day Iran, Iraq, and Turkey.

As well as valuable Chinese silk, many other goods moved west, including spices, jade, ivory, tea, medicine, perfume, and rice. In return, the Chinese people received horses, furs, carpets, fruits, and honey; various animals including domestic dogs, camels, weapons, and armor.

Two other exchanges across the Silk Road were pivotal in altering the course of human history. Paper, invented in China around 100 BC, began to spread along the silk road and, as a result, the written word throughout Europe gained huge momentum. The ability to record, store and transport knowledge and information, as well as facilitate considerable cultural exchange, was revolutionary.

As trade increased and diversified, more commodities were transported via ships, but material goods were not the only exchanges that took place. The arrival of each ship in port brought knowledge, languages and culture to new shores; awareness of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism also increased, along with scientific skills and political thinking.

As a part of this momentum, strong connections were established between strategically positioned coastal cities, such as Izmir in Turkey. One of the oldest cities of the Mediterranean world, Izmir later became a major international trade center from the 17th century for silk and other goods exchanged between East and West.

Nowadays, Izmir is one of Turkey’s largest ports and is twinned with the Chinese metropolis of Chengdu.

Silk remains a highly prized commodity in Izmir. Frequently used in the craft of traditional tailoring and dressmaking, there are numerous shops in the famous Izmir bazaar selling this beautiful fabric.

The links between China and Izmir are strengthening, through culture, arts and sports. Chinese, offered as a second foreign language, is becoming more popular each day at Izmir University of Economics, and Chinese students are now being offered Turkish lessons at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences in China.

At the 2019 Izmir International Fair, China was a partner country, and Izmir and Chengdu signed a memorandum of understanding to improve their relations even further, as well as to establish partnership and cooperation.

Nowadays, with our ability to cross continents in a matter of hours, it’s easy to forget the vast distances that were involved in the traversing of the Silk Road. In 1997, a group of explorers walked on the Silk Road, trying to recreate the experience with ancient caravans and camels. The journey from China to Turkey took them around 14 months - quite a thought!

The magic of the old Silk Road lives on in our minds but, more recently, a practical way to revive this iconic route has been pledged by China. Renamed the “belt and road” initiative, this new trade route has a completion date of 2049, which also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

The Silk Road, old and new, continues to connect our cultures and promote our global trade and understanding.

How a pivotal voyage in the Han dynasty became the foundation of the famous Silk Road.