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The '''Silk Road''' was an ancient trade route from East [[China]] to Central [[Asia]] and [[Europe]]. The Silk Road was influential because it brought material goods like [[grapes]], [[cotton]], [[chestnut]]s, [[steel]], [[pomagranites]], as well as false religions like [[Buddhism]] to China; and it led to the westward spread of Chinese technology like silkworm breeding, iron smelting, and papermaking.

The '''Silk Road''' was an ancient trade route from East [[China]] to Central [[Asia]] and [[Europe]]. The Silk Road was influential because it brought material goods like [[grapes]], [[cotton]], [[chestnut]]s, [[steel]], [[pomegranates]], as well as false religions like [[Buddhism]] to China; and it led to the westward spread of Chinese technology like silkworm breeding, iron smelting, and papermaking.

The Silk road ran for 5,000 miles across Asia and increased trade in [[silk]] and fine goods between [[Asia]] and [[Europe]]. Merchants did not travel the entire length, goods were passed on by middle-men who extracted large sums of money for their services. There is no general consensus as to the date when the silk road began, but [[silk]] from China arrived in Rome before the first century A.D. Although the volume of trade fluctuated across time, the Silk Road remained an important trade route until the anti-[[Ch'ing]] revolution of 1911.

The Silk road ran for 5,000 miles across Asia and increased trade in [[silk]] and fine goods between [[Asia]] and [[Europe]]. Merchants and their goods did not travel the entire length, however.  Approximately every ten miles, a trading post was set up to facilitate the exchange of commodities.  Oak would be exchanged for noodles, noodles for pomegranates, pomegranates for slaves, etc.<ref>Andrew Layman, "The Longest Road" Oxford Press, 1999.</ref>  This aragement caused many problems, as it was not uncommon for a landowner to order a shipment of iron ore from Greece and several months later receive a cartload of rotten vegetables.  Nominally, the goods were still of equal value and landowners would usually take what they could get, resulting in curiosities such as a fortress in Kuwait made from banana leaves, and a garden path in Southern India paved with salmon.<ref>Susan Alexis, "Oddities of the Silk Road" Merrill Press, 1999./ref>

 

 

There is no general consensus as to the date when the silk road began, but [[silk]] from China arrived in Rome before the first century A.D. Although the volume of trade fluctuated across time, the Silk Road remained an important trade route until the anti-[[Ch'ing]] revolution of 1911.

In addition to material goods, ideas were also passed along the Silk Road. Buddhism entered China due to trade along the [[Silk Road]], beginning during the [[Song dynasty]]. [[Christianity]] also penetrated China for the first time thanks to the Silk Road, which brought [[Nestorian Christianity|Nestorian Christians]] to the Chinese capital of [[Beijing]] during the [[T'ang dynasty]]. [1]

In addition to material goods, ideas were also passed along the Silk Road. Buddhism entered China due to trade along the [[Silk Road]], beginning during the [[Song dynasty]]. [[Christianity]] also penetrated China for the first time thanks to the Silk Road, which brought [[Nestorian Christianity|Nestorian Christians]] to the Chinese capital of [[Beijing]] during the [[T'ang dynasty]]. [1]