What is the Silk Road? What is its route, position and function?

The Silk Road opened the way for cultural exchanges between China and the West.

On this long road of more than 7,000 kilometers, silk, like porcelain also originated in China, became a symbol of prosperity and civilization in East Asia at that time. Heads of state and nobles used to wear China silk dyed with Phoenician red and use porcelain as a symbol of glory at home.

In addition, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan also flows into Europe and Asia with the caravan. The widespread spread of this kind of trade commodity far before silk in Eurasia has contributed to the promotion of trade exchanges between Europe and Asia. This precious commodity was once a symbol of national wealth in the two river basins. After lapis lazuli was spread to India, it was regarded as one of the seven treasures of Buddhism by Buddhists there, adding a long religious color to lapis lazuli.

The spread of grapes, walnuts, carrots, peppers, beans, spinach (also known as Persian food), cucumbers (called cucurbitaceae plants in Chinese) and pomegranates has added more choices to the daily diet of East Asians. After historical development, the wines from the western regions have been integrated into the traditional wine culture in China. Caravans mainly transport iron, gold, silver, mirrors and other luxuries from China.

There are many things introduced and transplanted between East and West. Medical skills, dancing, martial arts and some famous animals and plants have all increased the horizons of both sides. In the Han dynasty, people used to take things imported from the west as Hu characters, such as,, carrots and so on. In the Tang dynasty, people used to add Shanghai characters before their names, such as begonia, sea pomegranate and Haizhu (Persian Gulf pearl). According to Tang Huidian, the Tang Dynasty had contacts with more than 300 countries and regions. Every year, thousands of guests from all over the world come to Chang 'an, the largest city in the world, through the Silk Road. Among them, thousands of people have settled in China, including Guangzhou alone.