Sericulture in Ancient China For thousands of years, silk has been an important part of Chinese culture and economy. Silk was and is prized as a luxury textile and a symbol of wealth; Silk’s bright luster and soft touch are the main reasons it was a favored clothing material among the nobles of Europe and Asia. The silk industry, sericulture, has gained China major trading opportunities, bringing the country much wealth and fame. Sericulture became a notorious symbol of China and it played a major role in the country’s civilization. Silk is fine, soft, strong natural protein fiber made from filaments from the cocoons of the domestic silkworm. Silk objects, specifically clothing, is known for having a bright luster, soft touch, being extremely …show more content…
Silk was such a luxury when it was first invented, only the emperor and his close relations were allowed to wear it. Later on, silk became less restricted, nobles could wear it (“Legend of Silk”). Eventually, silk became something common: various classes were able to wear silk clothing and it came into more general use. Silk was used for everyday items such as fishing lines, bowstrings, and rag paper. In the Han dynasty, farmers sometimes paid a portion of their taxes in silk. Silk was also used for paying civil servants and rewarding outstanding subjects. Values were calculated in lengths of silk and it was used as money used in foreign trade. It was possible this added importance was the result of a major increase in silk production. The silk road was an ancient network of trade routes that stretched from China to Eastern Europe. The silk road was important because it allowed trade to flourish in several different kingdoms, allowing ideas, culture, inventions, and unique products to spread (“Legend of Silk”). One of the major products traded along the silk road was Chinese silk, therefore giving the route its name. The valuable textile was sought after by nobles all across Europe and Asia, and China became known for its beautiful silk cloth, prized for its softness and
Silk Roads - The Silk Roads were a network of trade routes, formally established during the Han Dynasty of China, which linked the regions of the ancient world in commerce.
The Silk Road, a series of passageways connecting China with the Mediterranean completely changed the world. These series of trade routes allowed the advancement of technology and cultural diversity like never seen before. These routes connected many different civilizations allowing the exchange of goods and ideas. This variety of nationalities made it a “Cultural Bridge between Asia and Europe. ” Before these pathways were established trade was nearly impossible due to extreme desert conditions and high mountain tops. Many people died making the journey, even after the trade routes were established. So why make the trip? How did the Silk Road impact history?
China’s population was growing rapidly, almost doubling between 750 and 1100. Because of this huge population boom, paper money was established, and the trade industry grew. There were many advances that were made, such as technological improvements
During the rule of Justinian (527-565 CE) this empire was expanded to the greatest size that it would ever reach. Because it was so big, Justinian assigned two capitals for the empire, and as this happened, there was transfer of goods and technologies through both capitals. Because the empire was so big and the amount of merchandise and money that was managed through the empire was so broad, Justinian implemented the use of banking, which changed completely the way people earned money, saved their money, and traded goods to get money from them to bank it. As this happened in the Byzantine Empire, China fell into a cultural exchange of goods, technologies, and ideas that came from the Silk Roads. It was during the Tang and Song dynasties that this trade was at its peak. At the time, besides receiving goods from Europe and other neighbors through the complex routes of trading, the Chinese developed their own technologies for their own exportation. Among these technologies there was large metallurgical production, invention of gunpowder, naval technologies, rapid and cheap printing, and porcelain. These technologies enhanced even more trade for China and due to this, paper money was invented for the purpose of controlling trade; the same thing that occurred with the Byzantine Empire and banking. Even though China invented more technologies than the Byzantine Empire, both became major trade hotspots in their own way and invented systems to
The Silk Road, a series of passageways connecting China with the Mediterranean, completely changed the world. These trade routes allowed the advancement of technology and cultural diversity like never before seen. These routes connected many different civilizations allowing the exchange of goods and ideas. This variety of nationalities made it a “Cultural Bridge between Asia and Europe. ” Before these pathways were established trade was nearly impossible, due to extreme desert conditions and high mountain tops. Many people died making the journey, even after the trade routes were established. So why make the trip? How did the Silk Road impact history?
The Silk Road was not a single road, it was an entire network of trade routes connecting China and many other countries throughout Asia and the Middle East. This network acquired its name from the beautiful, fine desired silk fabrics from China although it was not called the Silk Road till later in 1877 by Ferdinand von Richthofen. The Silk Road stenches 4000 miles from China to Europe although the path stenches that far people almost never make the whole trip for the road had varying paths to stop on and hidden dangers. The Silk Road was a major accomplishment for ancient China because it allowed the spread of culture, technologies, goods and customs to the Middle East even as far as Egypt. The same was true for customs and traditions coming
The Silk Road which have been known as a major trade route in the ‘old world’ and sparked numerous conflicts in its existence. It brought the goods and the bads like the plagues, cultural diffusion, introduction of new technologies and brought new religions to different part of that world. The Silk Road shape the world we have
A lot of countries made their clothing for different reasons. For instance, Scotland made a fabric called tartans that showed what clan they are in, and Hawaiians production of clothing was part of religious significance. In the Middle Ages ties and belts were used more frequently because their clothes was oversized by modern standards. “With the Renaissance’s changes in art and society came more fitted clothes” (Source 2). They made their clothes more fitted by sewing multiple pieces of cloth instead of using just one big piece of cloth. Without closures like zippers it made it very difficult to get into their clothes. The wealthier people had their tailor customize their own patterns. “... height of 18th century, French fashion garments were truly works of art” (Source 2). The french started to ship in foreign pieces of clothes shipped from miles away and used silk-like materials. “... flashy fabrics fell out of use.. fit became increasingly more important in the 19th and 20th centuries” (Source 2). The flashy material went out of style and nobody really wanted to use it anymore. Instead of tunics and robes, men started to wear suits. Men and women were looking for a more fitted look
The Silk Road was an intricate and evolving network of overland trade routes that linked China, India, and western Eurasia for centuries. The trade route was key to the diffusion and transportation of technology, goods, religions, and language throughout Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa and southern Europe. As the strongest link between major population centers in the largest landmass on earth, the Silk Road was one of the most important of all long-distance trade routes in human history.
Although a German scholar named von Richthofen coined the term ‘Silk Road’, many other goods and materials were traded along this route. According to Jona Lendering, “In the West, silk was considered more precious than gold and it remained very rare and expensive” (LIVIUS Articles on Ancient History). In fact, at this time in history, people in the West simply referred to the people of China as Silk People. Other goods that traveled along the Silk Road included such items as fur, jade, bronzed jewelry, iron, lacquer, and ceramics. These items flowed out of China towards the west along with silk. Fruits, such as apples, oranges and grapes, made an appearance on the Silk Road. It is said that: “Foodstuffs also count in this category of the travel of ideas and techniques. Apples spread, in prehistoric times via the steppe belt, in both directions from the region of modern-day Kazakhstan; oranges went (via the maritime route) from China to the Mediterranean world; grapes went from the western
From Central Asia: Ferghana horses. From Africa: ivory, rhinoceros horn. From India: spices, Buddhism. From Europe: music, glassware.''This may not be all that they had traded, but we do know that they had traded and they had many, many different ways to trade with other civilizations, proving that they had goods to trade and that they would be able to prosper and sooner or later expand into a greater source of trading.That is how the Silk Road was, is, and forever will be legendary, it had goods for trading, it stored cultures, it connected civilizations, and it will and no matter what be the world's first ever super highway. So, the Silk Road was if not the best way to open up trade to the way it is today, it shows so much diversity in so many
The Silk Roads were prized trade routes that ran from Chang’an, China to Rome. They were active from 220 B.C.E. to around 1453 C.E. An abundance of empires and cities contributed to the large mass of trade that occurred across the routes. Regions that supplied items were the Roman Empire, China, Siberia and Central Asia, India, Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Elements provided through trade were glassware, jewelry, artistic items, perfumes, oils, spices, metals, and of course, silk. Material items were not the only thing traded, religions were also made extremely easy to spread since there was such easy access to people.
In the Silk Road from China, the photograph shows a long trail, known as the silk road, passing through several different well known places such as China, the Middle East, and India ( Document 8 ). Around the main are two different routes, which are the Eurasian Steppe Route, and the Main Connecting Route. All of the different courses link together, with the two routes being used to provide a passageway for different countries, create the general Silk Road. The creation of the Silk Road was influential towards mankind since it gave the different civilizations and easy and simple course to follow when in the desire or need to trade with different civilization. In addition, with the benefit of trade going smooth and easy, China was able to take in needed material in which helped them stabilize and improve the civilization. All in all, the Chinese Civilization influenced mankind from the invention of the Silk Road, and how it originated the idea of trading with far
The Silk Road played a vital role in aiding the interaction between India and China and multicultural transmissions, however, its purposes were primarily used to increase trade. Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen created the term “Silk Road” in 1877
Many thousands of years ago, upon the earliest creations of civilization, there were two thriving civilizations. Both of which knew little to nothing about each other’s existence. In this ancient world, there was no connection of the two civilizations, no trade in commerce or culture. It was not until the second century BC that Europe and Eastern Asia interacted in a significant way. What is known as “The Silk Road” was established during the Han Dynasty of China, it was a network of trade routes that created a link between these two regions during this ancient world (ancient.eu). Though these routes have history prior to the Han Dynasty, this is when many historians see the routes in full practice. This time during the second century BC was crucial in the connection of these separately thriving civilizations, connecting them through commerce, religion, and exploration.