The Silk Road: Early Form of Globalization and Its Importance Kaylene Kurtz Historical Paper Senior Division 1,557 words
The Silk Road The Silk Road was a series of trade routes regularly used from 130 BCE to 1453 CE. Though the Silk Road was officially established during the Han dynasty, from 207 BC to 220 AD, the height of importance of the road wasn t until the Tang dynasty came into power. Not only did the routes span across the land, but they were also trade routes going through bodies of water, though they were seldom used. According to the Chin shu, a book written in the 7th century CE, The water of the great sea which is crossed on the road thither is salt and bitter, and unfit for drinking purposes; the merchants travelling to and fro are provided with three years' 1 provisions; hence, there are not many going. The land routes that were part of the Silk Road started in the capital city, Chang'an and stretched all the way to the Dunhuang on the edge of the 2 Taklimakan Desert. The Silk Road, sometimes referred to as the Silk Routes because of the many paths, was a crucial part in the diffusion of many objects and ideas in China because it was one of the earliest forms of globalization before technology and modern day ways of getting information from other places. The Silk Road allowed people to trade with places otherwise thought to be inaccessible. The Silk Road was a breakthrough invention. It was an easier way to trade goods with other parts of Asia. Architecture was one thing that was influenced because of the globalization that the Silk 1 "East Asian History Sourcebook: Chinese Accounts of Rome, Byzantium and the Middle East, C. 91 B.C.E. 1643 C.E." East Asian History Sourcebook: Chinese Accounts of Rome, Byzantium and the Middle East, C. 91 B.C.E. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016. 2 Mark, Joshua J. "Silk Road." Www.ancient.eu. N.p., 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. 1
Road allowed to happen. A whole form of art, called Greco Indian or Greco Buddhist art, was created through the blending of different cultures. This art form is a mixture of Buddhist figures with the eye of a Chinese artist. The simplest things traded on the Silk road were the commodities. Goods like ivory, 3 paper, gunpowder, as well as silk were all traded on the Silk Road. Although it was called the Silk Road, Silk wasn t the most important item that was traded along its routes. Paper and gunpowder were valued much more than the fabric. Gunpowder was discovered on accident one 4 day when alchemists were trying to make an immortality elixir. Gunpowder was an important invention that came out of the Silk Road. It gave China an advantage when it came to war, which was handy because it wasn t until the Mongol rule that the Silk Road was under a unified 5 political system. 6 Many men traveled the Silk Road, including Xuan Zhang, Marco Polo, and Ibn Battuta. Xuan Zhang was born in China. He trekked the hard, three year, journey through the Northern 7 Branch of the Taklimakan to obtain over 600 Buddhist Scriptures from India. He was a representative for China to learn the ways of the Buddha. He carefully recorded his travels in the Xiyuji, translated as Record of the Western Regions. He later went on to write the popular 16th 8 century classic Tales of a Journey to the West. At birth, his name was Chen Yi. He obtained the commonly known name, Xuan Zhang, when he passed tests to to be accepted into the Buddhist 3 Wild, Oliver. "The Silk Road." The Silk Road. N.p., 1992. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. 4 "The Monteagle Letter, 1605." Www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2016. 5 Pamela, White, John Stewart Bowman, and Maurice Isserman. Exploration in the World of the Middle Ages, 500 1500. New York, NY: Chelsea House, 2010. Print. 6 "Post Classical (600 CE to 1450 CE)." Freemanpedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2016. 7 "History of Xuan Zang." Http://www.vbtutor.net/xiyouji/history.htm. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016. 8 Wood, Frances. "Tanguts, Mongols, Nestorians and Marco Polo." The Silk Road: Two Thousand Years in the Heart of Asia. Berkeley: U of California, 2002. 111 29. Print. 2
order at the age of six, which was a whole year earlier than most. According to his journal, In agreement with early custom, the Chinese...who adopted the Buddhist faith changed their 9 names, so that's what he did. By the time Xuan Zhang was twenty years old, he was ordained as a full Buddhist monk. 10 11 Marco Polo was a famous Christian merchant who lived from 1254 to 1324. He was born in Venice to a powerful merchant family who had many contacts. Although he is the most known for traveling, Marco Polo did travel with his family. They would travel as far as the Black Sea from their home in Venice. In 1271, at the age of seventeen, Marco Polo and his family went on a trip carrying messages from the pope. As he got older, Marco Polo became favored by the Mongol emperor and went on special missions for him. The Great Khan asked Marco Polo and his brother to go to Europe and deliver a letter to the Pope asking him to send Christian men back to China to teach Christianity in China. The Pope responded gracefully with another letter that said We therefore admonish you all, beg and earnestly entreat you to receive these Friars 12 kindly and to treat them in considerate fashion out of reverence for God and for us. This improved the rates of Christians in China. Marco Polo was influential in expanding the knowledge of what was out in the world. It was through the eyes of Marco Polo that many 13 Europeans first learned about those civilizations to the East. 9 Zhang, Xuan. "Si yu ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World." Si yu ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016. 10 "History of Xuan Zang." Http://www.vbtutor.net/xiyouji/history.htm. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016. 11 "Marco Polo and His Travels." Marco Polo and His Travels. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Jan. 2016. 12 "Mongol Papal Encounter: Letter Exchange between Pope Innocent IV and Güyük Khan in 1245 1246." Ballandalus. N.p., 01 June 2015. Web. 14 Jan. 2016. 13 "Marco Polo in China (1271 1295)." Marco Polo in China (1271 1295). Columbia University, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016. 3
Another famous traveler on the Silk Road was Ibn Battuta. He was a famous Muslim traveler. He traveled on the Silk Road because, as a Muslim, he had to make a pilgrimage. He started his journey his birthplace of Tangiers and traveled to Mecca, the Holy City. He left his home on June 14, 1325 to start his pilgrimage. He was traveling solo. He had to cross dangerous 14 deserts that were inhabited with hyenas and other vicious animals. After he made his journey to Mecca and worshiped there for a while, instead of heading back home, he made the decision to travel more. This resulted in a 29 year journey around most of the world that was known back 15 then. The Silk Road was great for spreading new ideas and inventions, but unfortunately it also was great for spreading diseases as well. In 542 CE, the Bubonic Plague, a form of the black 16 death, spread through China and wiped out nearly two thirds of the population. Of the four forms of black death, the bubonic form was the most common.victims of this disease suffered a tremendous amount of pain and usually die within a week of catching the disease. All forms of the Black Death spread by fleas that made a home in infected rats. Recently, a rare disease, called Behcet s disease, was found to be linked to the ancient Silk Road. This disease causes the inflammation of the victim s blood vessels. Behcet s disease is incurable, but can be treated. Since this disease originated on the Silk Road many, many years ago, Turkey has very high rates of it. About one in two hundred fifty people have Behcet s disease. 17 Other, less significant, 14 Battuta, Ibn. Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 1325 1354. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2016. 15 Standage, Tom. An Edible History of Humanity. New York: Walker, 2009. Print. 16 Cassel, Seth. "The Silk Road and The Black Death." The Silk Road and The Black Death. N.p., Jan. 2006. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. 17 "Genetic Mystery of Behcet's Disease Unfolds along the Ancient Silk Road National Institutes of Health (NIH)." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 6 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. 4
18 diseases that diffused through the Silk Road were measles and smallpox. Smallpox, also referred to as Captive s pox or Barbarian pox, first made their appearance in China in 250 BC. Records show that they probably came from the Huns, a nomadic group in Eastern Europe. 19 Smallpox became such a big problem in China because of its dense population. Religion was another thing that diffused on the Silk Road. Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity traveled along the routes. The 8th century is when true Islamization began. This Islamization started because of the Muslim ruler s attitude to his non Muslim people. He had said Leave these lands...to the extent that they can bear and divide the proceeds among the 20 Muslims. Because Christianity was first, Christians had their own Holy Land. During the height of the Mongol s power, Islam began to take over the sacred Christian sites. This land was now considered holy for both religions, always creating conflict, even to this day. As well as Islam, Buddhism diffused through the way of the Silk Road. Originating in India, Buddhism was founded in the 6th century by Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha. Followers of the Buddhist faith believe in something called Dhamma, or Dharma. This is the teachings of spirit and essence. Buddhists believe in following the Eightfold path. Those are right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood/occupation, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Buddhists are excited about the idea of complete enlightenment. A passage from a holy book, called The Lotus Sutra, says If, in the presence of the Buddha any beings such as these hear a single verse or line of the Lotus Sutra, 18 "The Silk Road and Ancient Trade: Crash Course World History #9." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2016. 19 Hopkins, Donald R. "The Greatest Killer." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016. 20 Szostak, John D. "Virtual Art Exhibit Islam." Virtual Art Exhibit Islam. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015. 5
and thereupon have even one thought of rejoicing in it, I will bestow upon them my prediction that they will attain highest, complete enlightenment. 21 Although Islam and Buddhism were the main two religions on the silk road, Christianity also made an appearance. Christianity was even established before the City of Mecca became a place of importance for Muslims. From the 1st century to 500 AD was the time Christianity spread to the Middle East. It diffused as far as the Roman Empire from Europe. After 500 AD to around the 15th century, Western missionaries began working as ambassadors for Christ. They reached out and witnessed to people all the way from Africa to China and India. Because of these 22 missionaries, there are not over 100 million Christians in China alone. The Silk Road was very influential in ancient China. It allowed information and goods to be traded with all of Asia and Europe faster than ever before. Because of these routes, Ideas of religion spread throughout the continent. Unfortunately, because of the fast contact with so many people, diseases also traveled cross country faster than ever. All in all, the Silk Road was beneficial to China as well as the rest of the Eastern hemisphere. 21 Kubo, Tsugunari, and Akira Yuyama, trans. The Lotus Sutra (n.d.): n. pag. Http://www.bdk.or.jp/pdf/bdk/digitaldl/dBET_T0262_LotusSutra_2007.pdf. 2007. Web. 12 Jan. 2016. 22 "The Light on the Silk Road." Christian Aid Mission. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016. 6
Annotated Bibliography Primary: Battuta, Ibn. Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 1325 1354. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2016. This primary source told me a lot about Ibn Battuta's travels along the Silk Road. I found out the he made a pilgrimage to Mecca as one of his journeys. Ch'êng ên, Wu. "Journey to the West." Read / Journey to the West / Invitation to World Literature. N.p., 1994. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.This primary source is the accounts of Xuan Zhuang and his travels on the Silk Road. "East Asian History Sourcebook: Chinese Accounts of Rome, Byzantium and the Middle East, C. 91 B.C.E. 1643 C.E." East Asian History Sourcebook: Chinese Accounts of Rome, Byzantium and the Middle East, C. 91 B.C.E. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.This primary source gave me information on the water trade routes that were a part of the Silk Road, but not used regularly because of the difficulty of sailing the open waters. Kubo, Tsugunari, and Akira Yuyama, trans. The Lotus Sutra (n.d.): n. pag. Http://www.bdk.or.jp/pdf/bdk/digitaldl/dBET_T0262_LotusSutra_2007.pdf. 2007. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.This is a primary source that helped me write the Buddhism section of the religion part of my project. 7
"Minor Sights." France: Musée Guimet and the Greek Buddhas of Gandhara. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.This source had primary examples of how, through the diffusion of culture, a new form of art, called Greco Buddhist, was created. "Mongol Papal Encounter: Letter Exchange between Pope Innocent IV and Güyük Khan in 1245 1246." Ballandalus. N.p., 01 June 2015. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.These are letters exchanged between the Great Khan and the Pope at that time. The Great Khan sent letters to the Pope asking him if he could send Christian men back to China. "The Monteagle Letter, 1605." Www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2016.This letter is a primary source. It talked about gunpowder on the Silk Road. Polo, Marco. "Marco Polo's Camel Caravan." Kids Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.This Drawing that Marco Polo drew helped me understand what it was like on the Silk Road in the 1300's. Polo, Marco. "The Travels of Marco Polo the Venetian : Polo, Marco, 1254 1323? : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive." Internet Archive. N.p., 1908. Web. 05 Jan. 2016. "Post Classical (600 CE to 1450 CE)." Freemanpedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2016.This source gave my background on different famous travelers and merchants who followed the Silk 8
Road. Primary sources were also found that were the books or journals that each traveler had written. Szostak, John D. "Virtual Art Exhibit Islam." Virtual Art Exhibit Islam. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.This source gave me more information on Islam on the Silk Road. It also led me to a primary source on what the Muslim ruler said to his subjects to get them to convert to Islam. Zhang, Xuan. "Si yu ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World." Si yu ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.This is Xuan Zhang's journal of his accounts on the Silk Road. Secondary: Bourzac, Katherine. "Smallpox: Historical Review of a Potential Bioterrorist Tool." Smallpox: Historical Review of a Potential Bioterrorist Tool. N.p., 03 Sept. 2002. Web. 10 Jan. 2016. This source helped me with my research for the smallpox part of the diseases section of my project. Cassel, Seth. "The Silk Road and The Black Death." The Silk Road and The Black Death. N.p., Jan. 2006. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.This source helped with the part of my project about 9
disease. It informed me that there were four main types of the black death that traveled along the Silk Road. "Culture of Silk Road." Silk Road Culture Exchange: Religion and Technology Introduced into China via the Road. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.This source gave me background on the different types of religion on the Silk Road. It led me to other sources that dealt with the specific different religions, like Buddhism and Islam. "Genetic Mystery of Behcet's Disease Unfolds along the Ancient Silk Road National Institutes of Health (NIH)." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 6 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <span>this source was beneficial to the disease section of my project. Behcet's disease was recently linked to the Silk Road. "History of Xuan Zang." Http://www.vbtutor.net/xiyouji/history.htm. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016. This source gave me more information about Xuan Zhung. Hopkins, Donald R. "The Greatest Killer." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.This book gave good information on disease on the Silk Road, specifically smallpox. Khan, Razib. "Diseases of the Silk Road Gene Expression." Gene Expression. N.p., 26 July 2010. Web. 08 Jan. 2016. 10
"The Light on the Silk Road." Christian Aid Mission. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.This website was a good source for information about Christianity on the Silk Road. I found out that Christianity started diffusing into China from Europe. "Marco Polo and His Travels." Marco Polo and His Travels. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Jan. 2016.This Source about Marco Polo gave me insight to his early life and some facts about Marco Polo, like he was a master of four languages. "Marco Polo in China (1271 1295)." Marco Polo in China (1271 1295). Columbia University, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.This source helped me get some background on Marco Polo about his early life and traveling with his family. Mark, Joshua J. "Silk Road." Www.ancient.eu. N.p., 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. This article was a good source of background information. It gave me ideas of many other things to research, such the different commodities traded along the Silk Road. Pamela, White, John Stewart Bowman, and Maurice Isserman. Exploration in the World of the Middle Ages, 500 1500. New York, NY: Chelsea House, 2010. Print.This book gave me more information about the background of the Silk Road and how it became unified under the Mongol Rule. 11
Standage, Tom. An Edible History of Humanity. New York: Walker, 2009. Print. This source helped me on the section of my paper on men who traveled on the Silk Road, specifically Ibn Battuta. "The Silk Road and Ancient Trade: Crash Course World History #9." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.This source helped me with my disease portion of my paper. I learned the measles and smallpox were spread on the Silk Road. Vail, Lise F. "The Origins of Buddhism." Asia Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.This source helped me get background of the Buddhist religion and led me to research other things about Buddhism. Wild, Oliver. "The Silk Road." The Silk Road. N.p., 1992. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. This was a good source for background information about where the actual routes of the Silk Road were located. It also led me to a primary source titled "Tales of a Journey to the West" which was written by Xuan Zhuang. Wood, Frances. "Tanguts, Mongols, Nestorians and Marco Polo." The Silk Road: Two Thousand Years in the Heart of Asia. Berkeley: U of California, 2002. 100+. Print. This source was good for getting information on Marco Polo and a little bit more information about Christianity on the Silk Road. This source also led me to two primary sources, books that Xuan Zhang had written. 12