The term “Silk Road” was used to refer to the long route used by merchants to trade exotic goods and glittering bazaars. The merchants used camel caravans to trade across Asia. In the book by James Millward, he outlined the historical background of the Silk Road, when it flourished and its contribution to cultural exchange in the world, particularly in the Eurasian region. The author argued that the Silk Road facilitated the culture of communication across the Eurasian continent. He has further listed some of the goods that were exchanged during this period and their importance. Millward explains some dynamics that enhanced the interactions in the Silk Road. He highlights some of the technological, biological, intellectual, artistic and religious exchanges that contributed to the modern level of globalization in the world.
Most importantly, the Silk Road promoted cultural exchange. For example, as the Buddhists moved to China, and they brought with them their Buddhist religion. Other Buddhist monks from Central Asia moved to China, and thus they spread the new religion in China (Ebrey, and Walthall 56). The impact was that the Buddhist religion became one of the key spiritual beliefs and ideologies of the South and the East Asia (Millward 60). In the modern days, millions of people in Asia adopted Buddhism, and it remained one of the legacies of the Silk Road. Christianity also spread to the Mediterranean basin. Some of the missionaries started attracting converts such as Gregory the Wonderworker. The major consequence of the biological exchange along the Silk Road was the spread of plagues and diseases. The effect of this not only led to depopulation along the Silk Road but also the exposure of the humans to these pathogens stimulated the development of strong immunity in the bodies of people. The immunity proved to be of great significance to the modern people.
Technological exchange along the Silk Road facilitated mutual benefit as there was progress in both China and the regions in the West. Some of the great Chinese inventions like printing, paper making, and the compass and gun powder were transmitted to the West. There was also the spread of Chariot technology across the Eurasia, and this improved the conditions of the militaries in that region (Millward 41). The impact of technological exchange was that it facilitated the development of the whole region. The other invention that spread across the Eurasia region was irrigation by water wheels. The simple device, which was invented in the Roman Syria, was attached by a series of tubes and pot. As the water current moved, the wheel would rotate. The device did not use human energy, and it would lift the water up to a higher height. It improved the agricultural sector across the region and thus enhanced it to spread along the Silk Road.
Besides the cultural exchange and the technological exchange along the Silk Road, there was also the exchange of art skills. The spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road resulted in the exchange of arts in that region. They made different images including images of Standing Buddha and later the images were fastened on the walls of their shrines. During the early Tang Dynasty and Sui in China, there were two distinguished artists - Weich Boqina and his son (Tucker184). They are believed to have specialized in the “Relief” type of painting and facilitated the spread of Tibetan art along the Silk Road. The production of silk, which was one of the valuable items in the culture of the Chinese, was later transmitted to the different parts of the Silk Road. It was a textile that was extracted from the silk worm and was used to make clothes for use in the court. The silk textiles became valuable to the people along the Silk Road, and they were used in making different ranges of products.
Some factors made the Silk Road unpopular. It was during the 15th and 16th century when trade in overland declined. The reason was sea transportation, which had emerged. It was believed that trade through the sea was faster than trade over the land. It was cheaper to transport more goods through the sea than by the road (Wood 133). That continued to happen until the Mongols ushered in a new era whereby they required more contact between the west and the east. The demand for more Asian goods to Europe arose, and people now had to discover another mode of transportation. The need inspired the people, and they discovered a sea route to Asia. It was less dangerous, faster, and could facilitate more transfer of goods than the Silk Road, and this marked the decline of the Silk Road.
In conclusion, it is evident that the Silk Road facilitated advancement in the Eurasia region. For instance, there was cultural exchange along the Silk Road whereby the spread of Buddhism and Christianity was enhanced. Different people with different cultures interacted when trading. The interaction of people increased the spread of diseases, but, on the other hand, the spread of the pathogens in the people enhanced body immunity. The technological, cultural and religious exchange resulted in the development of the entire region. Modern globalization in the modern Asian and European areas can be said to have been attributed to the Silk Road. The sea route that connected Asia and the Europe part was the major factor that led to the decline of the Silk Road. It was faster and cheaper compared to the trade conducted using the Silk Road.
Works Cited
Ebrey, Patricia B, and Anne Walthall. Pre-modern East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political
History. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth, 2013. Print.
Millward, James A. The Silk Road: A Very Short Introduction. , 2013. Print.
Tucker, Jonathan. The Silk Road: China and the Karakorum Highway: A Travel Companion. ,
2014. Print.
Wood, Frances. The Silk Road: Two Thousand Years in the Heart of Asia. Berkeley: University
of California Press, 2002. Print.
