jjares reviewed The Silk Road: A Captivating Guide to the Ancient Network of Trade Routes Established during the Han Dynasty of China and How It Connected the East and West on + 3274 more book reviews
The Silk Road is believed to be the longest overland trade route in human history. It was actually 4,350 miles of networking, connected routes that were navigated in short lengths by many traders. The routes were compounded by the rough terrain and the multiple cultures and peoples.
Westerners were enchanted with the spices, products, and cultures of the East. However, the Chinese were very self-content; they were not eager for the products or ideas of the West; they only looked at the wealth they could accumulate by trading with the West. It is very difficult to explain the Silk Route because cultures and societies rose, fell, and migrated to other regions. Then, there is the fact that silk came from two regions. The silk that was all the rage in Rome may have come from India, not China. They had differing methods of creating their fabrics and archeologists believe the Romans didn't meet the Chinese until much later than they met (and purchased silks from) India.
When the Europeans went east to battle against the Muslims in the Holy Lands, their first interest was in spreading Christianity. There was one throw-away line in this book that I appreciated: "Genghis Khan had a policy of protecting all religions and permitting all religious practices within his empire." (p. 37) I thought that was a remarkable attribute for someone who was responsible for so many deaths.
Khan was also responsible for the safety of the Silk Road, as well as expanding the length of the routes. By his death, the Mongols dominated a huge tract of land that stretched from China to the 'doorstep of Europe in Georgia and Ukraine."
This book outlines several envoys to the Khan, from the Catholic Church, that provided some information about the Eastern cultures and peoples. But it was the infamous Marco Polo who really publicized the riches of the East. During Kublai Khan's time, the Silk Road was at its busiest, before gradually being replaced by seaborne trade.
During the 1300s, the pope maintained an interest in the affairs of the Christian Church in China. However, when the Chinese rose up against the Mongol overlords, they formed the Ming dynasty and expelled all the Christians from China. This information seems to connect to the Silk Road, because how else did they travel between Rome and China? However, the next 20 pages are about wars, without tying it back to the Silk Road. I think the author got engrossed in the wars and lost sight of his topic: the Silk Road. By the time of the wars with Japan, I began to wonder what this had to do with the Silk Road. Then, on page 92, the main topic was reintroduced. It was nicely tied up in the last few pages. 3.5 stars
Westerners were enchanted with the spices, products, and cultures of the East. However, the Chinese were very self-content; they were not eager for the products or ideas of the West; they only looked at the wealth they could accumulate by trading with the West. It is very difficult to explain the Silk Route because cultures and societies rose, fell, and migrated to other regions. Then, there is the fact that silk came from two regions. The silk that was all the rage in Rome may have come from India, not China. They had differing methods of creating their fabrics and archeologists believe the Romans didn't meet the Chinese until much later than they met (and purchased silks from) India.
When the Europeans went east to battle against the Muslims in the Holy Lands, their first interest was in spreading Christianity. There was one throw-away line in this book that I appreciated: "Genghis Khan had a policy of protecting all religions and permitting all religious practices within his empire." (p. 37) I thought that was a remarkable attribute for someone who was responsible for so many deaths.
Khan was also responsible for the safety of the Silk Road, as well as expanding the length of the routes. By his death, the Mongols dominated a huge tract of land that stretched from China to the 'doorstep of Europe in Georgia and Ukraine."
This book outlines several envoys to the Khan, from the Catholic Church, that provided some information about the Eastern cultures and peoples. But it was the infamous Marco Polo who really publicized the riches of the East. During Kublai Khan's time, the Silk Road was at its busiest, before gradually being replaced by seaborne trade.
During the 1300s, the pope maintained an interest in the affairs of the Christian Church in China. However, when the Chinese rose up against the Mongol overlords, they formed the Ming dynasty and expelled all the Christians from China. This information seems to connect to the Silk Road, because how else did they travel between Rome and China? However, the next 20 pages are about wars, without tying it back to the Silk Road. I think the author got engrossed in the wars and lost sight of his topic: the Silk Road. By the time of the wars with Japan, I began to wonder what this had to do with the Silk Road. Then, on page 92, the main topic was reintroduced. It was nicely tied up in the last few pages. 3.5 stars
