As well all know, the silk production is the main role along Silk Road. Different period, different countries, the silk production also arouse different features. However, about the silk history, there are storing many mysteries to unveil.

Commercial Silk Trading
The first silk workshops were set up during the Han Dynasty; from the Han capital, silk was traded as far as Antioch on the Mediterranean, and eventually onwards by sea to Rome, where laws were enforced to try to control overspreading on this luxury. By the beginning of the 3rd century, the Parthian Dynasty was making huge profits from customs duties levied on silk and other goods transported along the Silk Road. The Parthian was defeated in 224AD by the Sassanians, whose weavers developed their own highly distinctive silk designs. Since then, Chinese of Tang Dynasty began to imitate them. Preserved Tang silks display typically Sassanian designs, such as repeated registers of single or confronting birds or animals, often with a central tree or flowering element. Variations on this distinctive motif were echoed by Sogdian weavers I Central Asia.

Silk and Church
With the Silk Road becoming more and more prosperous at that time, there are many churches appeared. Silk Production and trade in Byzantium Christian Europe had a close connection with Church, and was closely regulated by government decree. Clerics wear silk garments and altar cloths were made of silk. At that time, sumptuary laws were important in maintaining the hierarchies of the imperial court and Church, and color and design were an integral part of silk symbolic status. Royal purple was the color of Byzantium, a silk-ruled empire, and the best was obtained by Syrian dye masters from the murex shellfish, an industry developed by the Phoenicians. Syrian silk merchants were always accorded special privileges by the Byzantines. Byzantine rulers are depicted wearing silk garments with huge patterns, roundels containing lions, eagles, mounted heroes and heroic images, whose origins echo even older Near Eastern image.

Silk Production Today
The first imperial silk workshops were established in Sichuan and Shandong. Three traditional Chinese silk-producing regions have retained importance but whereas once, vast mulberry orchards were needed to furnish supplies of fresh leaves to feed the voracious caterpillars, and production was restricted and seasonal. Now genetically modified bushes produce four consecutive harvests of fresh leaves.

Silk Road is full of mysterious and colors. It deserved your special attention!

Silk Road has long been hailed as one of the most mysterious adventurous destinations in China. There are as many fun things to explore as you could imagine!

Brief Information about Silk Road
Natural landscapes spread all over the Silk Road, very exotic and magnificent. Bird Island in Qinghai Lake, Bayanbulak Swan Nature Reserve and the depths of the Tianshan Tianchi, Qinghai Saline Lake, Lop Nor landform, the Flaming Mountains in Turpan and Karamay devil city and so on, are added to the infinite charm of Silk Road. Silk Road was a trade route connecting Asia, across the Eurasian continent in ancient times. The Silk Road started from East of Changan (present-day Xian), Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, across Congling (now the Pamirs), through the central portion of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, to Syria and the Levant (now Rome), with a total length of 7000 kilometers - Chinese territory of the Silk Road has an area of 4000 kilometers. The silk road has more than 2000 years of history, full of mysterious charms. Today, along the ancient Silk Road, many historical relics, monuments, beautiful natural scenery and colorful ethnic local customs and practices still attract tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Highlights of the Silk Road to Explore
In history, hailed as the ship of the desert, camel was the main means of transportation on the Silk Road; today, tourists can take a plane, train, car to travel along the Silk Road, which is convenient, safe and comfortable. China, along the Silk Road, has a large number of historical and cultural monuments. Well known include the eighth wonder of the world Terracotta Army, Shakya Muni Buddha bone of the Famen Temple, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, the Maijishan grottoes, the Great Wall Jiayuguan and Han Yangfeng sites, a famous Tibetan Buddhist temple Kumbum Monastery, the Silk Road city of Gaochang site. The Silk Road covers large territory area, across Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang and other provinces. Home to many ethnic minorities, including their warm hospitality, singing and dancing, silk road is as amazing as it could be. Different nations have different history, each retaining its unique national characteristics, traditional culture and religious belief. Aggregation area in each nation, visitors can experience the life of local ethnic groups, enjoy the folk dance, join the local residents to participate in the wedding and to celebrate the festival, or shop for exquisite handicrafts.

Overall, Silk Road has something for everyone!

At the mention of the world renowned Silk Road, the first comes to mind would be the wide spread Silk Road on land, but indeed, there is a Silk Road on water which is less known by people.

Overview of the Silk Road on Water
After Zhang Qian opened the trade route to the western regions as the Han envoys, merchants, western messengers and businessmen flooded to the east. They bought China silk and textiles, from Luoyang, Changan through the Hexi Corridor, Xinjiang to the west, forming the famous Silk Road on land. After Han Dynasty, merchants saw the opportunity of marine trade and opened another Silk Road - this is the famous Silk Road on water. The Silk Road on water connected China with other parts of the world. Chinese silk was greatly exported to Central Asia, West Asia and Africa, European countries not only by the trade route on land but also via the trade route on water. Therefore, after the German geographer Richthofen named the land trade route named the Silk Road, some scholars also called the other route as the Silk Road on water. Later, Chinese famous ceramics were sold all over the world through this route, some scholars therefore also name this route the ceramic road, the incense or porcelain road.

Specific Routes of the Silk Road on Water
The silk road on water was formed in the Han Dynasty when. Starting from China sailing west, is the main line of the Silk Road on the sea. At the same time, there is a route starting from China eastward to the Korean Peninsula and Japan islands. Merchants started from Rinan (now central Vietnam) or Xuwen (now Guangdong), Hepu (now Guangxi) by boat sailing to the sea, along the east coast of the South China peninsula, through the Mekong Delta till they reached Duyuan (now Dishi in Vietnam). The sail continued along the South Peninsula northbound, after four months of voyages to the Menam River till they arrived at the Yi Lu (Nakhon Pathom in Thailand). Then sail along the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, after more than 20 days arrived at the Yellow Zhiguo. Sailing through Yibucheng (now Sri Lanka), after eight months of sailing reached the Strait of Malacca, then arrived at Xianglin County (now in Vietnam). The whole sailing journey ends.

By the way, there are still some historical relics left along the Silk Road on Water and worth tracing.