The Silk Road in China

For many centuries the Silk Road was the place where the eastern and western cultures met and interchanged. This thesis will examine the relationship between China and the West on the Silk Road which is considered the oldest trade route in the world. Through the Silk Road, China and the West influenced one another economically, historically and culturally. This thesis will analyze the establishment and the demise of the Silk Road which coincided with the prosperity and decline of China. This thesis will also discuss how the religions of the West were introduced to China, how Chinese inventions were transported to the West, with influences in both worlds. Travelers on the Silk Road will be discussed because they created and promoted the communications on the Silk Road. Cities on the Silk Road will be studied because they are landmarks where the cultures were exchanged. By knowing the past we understand the present and can better project the future. All races contributed to human civilization. The history of the Silk Road is one chapter in the development of human civilization. This is the emphasis of my thesis.