丝绸之路 Silk Road: The Framework of Early Conections between Europe and China

1. 丝绸之路Silk Road: The Framework of Early Conections between Europe and China

2. Evolution of Connections over Eurasia欧洲-亚洲联系网 • Silk was the first mayor commodity transported across Asia • The name Silk road appeared only in 1877 invented by the German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen • It was not one single road but a network of paths and transport connections • It included step land and desert caravan routes as well as maritime routes

4. The Idea of Silk Road is Wider丝绸之路的观念更宽 Besides Silk it Encompasses: • Trade with other commodities besides silk • Transfer of knowledge and technologies • Spreading of domesticated plants and cultivation techniques • Exchange of culture and customs of living • Spreading of various concepts of ideas and religious systems

5. Establishing the link between Roman and Han Empires - Roman city Liqian 骊靬

6. Opening the Silk Road張騫 开丝绸之路 • Zhang Qian’s missions to Central Asia: First 138-126 b.c. Second 119-116 b.c. • Han colonization of the corridor to Central Asia • Extension of the Great Wall to Dunhuang and Yumen pass • Merchant caravans – around 10 per year were sent to Transoxania

7. Jiayuguan fortifications嘉峪关

8. 玉门关 Yumen pass: Entrance to China

9. Effects of the open trade route • Silk was carried by Persian, Indian, and other merchants all the way to Rome • Well drilling was brought to Central Asia • Roman glass, wine, gold, and jade was imported in China • New plants, animals, instruments, and other products were brought to China • The route to India was opened • Budhism and Helenistic sculpture were introduced to China

10. Chinese pipa and Greek lute琵琶与希腊的对象

11. Roman glass excavated in China中国土出的罗马玻璃

12. Buddha from Gandhara 1st-2ndACand Aphrodite from Greece 2nd-1stBC佛与希腊爱神

13. First famous travellers between China and India中国和印度的联系 • Kumarajiva (344-423) came from India to China to preach and translate Buddhists texts • About 200 Chinese monks went to India between 3rd and 8th century • The most famous Chinese monk was Xuan Zang, went to India in 629 and returned in 645 • Mahayana Buddhist texts are preserved only in Chinese translations

14. Big Goose Pagoda in Xi’an where Buddhist texts were translated大雁塔

15. Early Tang Dynasty (618-755)唐代 Re-established domination in Central Asia

16. The most open period in Chinese history • Foreigners and foreign ideas are welcome

17. Budhism佛教 Nestorianism景教 Zoroastrianism祆教 Manichaeism摩尼教 Judaism犹太教 Islam伊斯兰教 Several new religions came to China

18. Manichaeism摩尼教

19. Consequences of the battle at Talas 751 • The only battle fought between Arab Abbasid Caliphate and Chinese Empire: Arab victory • Conversion of Karluk Turks, which turned to Arab side, triggered Islamisation of other Turks • Decline of Chinese influence in Central Asia • Chinese prisoners of war were ordered to make paper in Samarkand

20. Samarkand

21. By the year 794 AD papermaking spread to Baghdad, and then to Egypt, Morocco, and Spain造纸技术流传到欧洲

22. The Tanguts and the Xixia state西夏(1032-1227)

23. Tomb of Xixia Emperor西夏王坟墓

24. The Xixia script西夏文字

25. Hand grenade fabricated in Xixia in 11th century西夏手榴弹

26. The Mongol Conquest蒙古人的侵略 • In 1227 the Xixia state was annihilatedand the Tanguts exterminated • In 1234 the Jin in north China was conquered • In 1236 Russia was invaded and in 1241 Mongols reached Poland, Hungary, and Adriatic sea. • In 1258 Baghdad was conquered • In 1260 Kublai Khan was proclaimed Emperor of China, and from 1275 ruled over the whole China • The attempts to invade Egypt, Japan, Vietnam, and Java failed

27. Established peace across Asia Opened travel routes and promoted trade Religious tolerance Enabled the flow of knowledge Gunpowder, compass, and printing have eventually spread to the west Mongols were not just brutal conquerorsEmperor Kublai(1260-1294)

28. Franciscan Giovanni daMontecorvino Mission in China 1294-1328, first archbishop in Peking Marco Polo’s journey to China 1271-1291 Odoric de Pordenone, Pope’s messenger to China 1324-1331 RabanSauma an Uighur Nestorian, went from Peking to Baghdad and in 1287 as Argun Khan’s messenger to Constantinololis, Rome, and Paris Many travellers went on route across Asia欧洲-亚洲早期旅游者Odoric de Pordenone in China

29. Ming and Qing Dynasty: The Jesuits became the most important intellectual link between Europe and China明情耶稣会传教士 • They brought new knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, and geography to China • They were serving as officials in the Imperial Board of Astronomy • They introduced better knowledge about China to Europe • They transferred new ideas about secular state and rationalism from China to Europe • They influenced European thinkers Leibnitz and Voltaire in their quest for Enlightment

30. Augustin Hallerstein 刘松龄, Famous Jesuit Scientist and Cultural Link between Europe and China in the period of Emperor Qianlong came to China in 1739 and was president of Imperial Board of Astronomy in Beijing from 1746 until his death in 1774

31. The old Observatory

32. Armillary Sphere in Beijing Observatory