The+Golden+Years

__ The Golden Years  __ **__ The Height __** The time that the Silk Road was at its peak of prosperity was during the Tang Dynasty which came to power in the 7th century. During this time the art and civilization was at its peak, with the Tang Dynasty starting internal stability, economic development, and encouraging the trading along the route. The trade along the Silk Road quickly developed becoming a buzzing market. The cities along this road became urban capitals of culture and many different religions. For example the dynasty's capital Changan became a gigantic city spanning over the size of modern-day Xian, over two million lived there along with the foreigners from neighboring nations which is a unknown number. The simple trading road had become much more, it became a superhighway for religion, culture, beliefs, goods and all brought into the giant mixing pot of the Silk Road. The Silk Road was flourishing. The Chinese were doing so well in fact that they reserved the right to treat all foreigners as barbarians and a gift was required from the leaders of the other nations at that time. This empire was wealthy and was the biggest empire of the century. A certain traveler by the name of Xuan Zhuang     made a trip to India to record the types of Buddhist religions in the 7th century. When he returned he put the 600 scriptures he brought back in the Great Goose Pagoda in Changan. This is important because he was the person who majorly contributed to the Buddhist Religion in China. There were many other explorations like this one bringing back religions to the region. A porcelain piece  traded around the end of the Han Dynasty.

A sculpture of a player of a polo game made in the 8th century

The 7th, 8th and 9th century Tang Dynasty experienced the best age of the Silk Road, prosperous and alive. Shortly after the 10th Tang Dynasty's fall the Silk Road started its steady decline. The trading slowed and along with it the art and culture that vibrated through the region. The alliance that kept the caravans safe crumbled leaving to many attacks. The emperors of China quickly succeded each other, this period is called the 5 Dynasties and 10 Kindoms Period. Then the Mongols took rule in the 13th century, they made frequent contacts with the West and the East creating a demand for Asian goods once more. After the Mongols the Silk Road diminished a part of the reason is geography. Because many of the major trading cities were located in the desert without major trade they could not live in the desert, another factor was that it was a major risks with many of the tribes and states attacking each other. Therefore the route was left untouched until the Song Dynasty when the Chinese states partially unified but it was still not close to the grandness of the Tang Dynasties. Trade was untouched until the 1500's when Europeans wanted to find a sea route to Asia. The remains of the once wealthy, alive, and vibrant culture of the Silk Road that swept through 3 continents are paved historical roads, railroads, landmarks and the marks it left on history.
 * __ The Decline  __** 

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