Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Non-Fiction 2018 | Page 25

The Road to the world
Immaculate Heart of Mary College, Cheung, Ching Po - 13
A
journey to the west was probably only a dream of many Chinese people before the development of
the Silk Road. The Silk Road, once, an important path to another world, is still revealing its
historical values to us nowadays. A trip to exploring this valuable place is not easy, but I was one of
the lucky persons who could spend a few days there with my Grandpa when I was small.
As a kid, it was a big place for me. I was astounded to see the beautiful scenery, and I was proud of having a
small and colourful purse given by my Grandpa as a souvenir which he bought for me there. Studying about
the Chinese's journey to the west at the Silk Roads is, of course, more fascinating that reading the novel
Journey to the West , though I still remember the three main characters: Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong and
Zhu Bajie, and their adventures are indeed my favourite bedtime story. Now, on the Silk Road, no more
myths or legendary, vivid and friendly characters but the traces of horses galloping and camels walking for
trading can still be found.
The Silk Road is famous for transporting silk in the ancient world which is also the prime time for road
trading development in the past. Silk, a piece of fine, light and luxurious cloth, was a symbol of wealth,
political and social power. Silk was rather popular among nomads for its lightless as lining for bedding and
clothing. Thus, silk was used for gifts for nomads who were strong and ready to attack China with their
power, and it was part of diplomatic policies and strategies of the emperors of China to use silk for getting a
more stable situation.
Travelling for trading was never easy in the past. The Silk Road was definitely a dangerous place. The
caravans were often attacked by small Central Asian tribes. It caused loss of property or even life. However,
the bad weather even made things even worst.
Zhang Qian, was a Chinese explorer during the Han dynasty and he was sent by the Han dynasty to the
West as the emperor wanted to form an alliance to fight against their enemy, the Huns. However, during his
trips, he and his caravans were captured by the Huns but they managed to escape successfully at last.
Later, Zhang Qian reached his destination eventually, Da Yuezhi who had strong armies but they did not
want to make an alliance at all, so his main mission failed after encountering all sorts of troubles and
constraints. However, he was successful to help China connect with other countries and brought back China
with new knowledge of religion, art, philosophies and numerous new things like spices and other products
which were new to Chinese. Thanks to Zhang Qian's effort, the economic and cultural connections with
the foreign countries in the Central Asia of China was established which helped to widen the horizon of
Chinese, as they did not have the chance to see the outside world before that.
Zhang Qian successfully reached the West. It was then more common for people to have their trading on
the Silk Road. Major products traded were silk cloth, tea, salt, sugar, porcelain, spices and expensive luxury
goods. Merchants travelled for a long trip in large caravans that helped in defending from bandits. However,
people who travelled would still have to risk their properties and lives with unknown threats.
Merchants and tradesmen generated trade and commerce between different foreign countries in the Central
Asia. It was considered as a way of exchanging ideas, culture, inventions and also the exchange or fusion of
cultures between the western world.
While trading was booming, some people were interested in visiting other places like the origin of
Buddhism. With much courage of Xuanzang, Buddhism was first bought back from the Silk Road. In 602,
Xuanzang was born in Tang Dynasty. In 629, he decided to visit India and study Buddhism at its source.
However, he did not go to the India with any official permissions, so he tried to avoid being arrested by the
officers in Western Gansu. Luckily, Turpan’s king eventually provided money and passports for safe passage
through other kingdoms. Xuanzang spent fifteen years in India visiting holy sites, studying about Buddhism.
In 644, Xuanzang bought a vast collection of Buddhist statues, relics and knowledge of texts that wrote on
bamboo and wooden tablets about Buddhism via Kashgar. During Xuanzang’s late life, he translated part of
his collection of Buddhist texts.
Later in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty, Journey to the West , the Chinese novel was published.
It is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literatures also it is translated and spread to the
English-speaking countries now known as Monkey, Arthur Waley. Journey to the West is an extend
account of Xuanzang’s who travelled to the Western regions. It strongly reflected the spread of Buddhism
affairs and the elements of tales. Journey to the West is some kind of reflective of Chinese attitudes today.
Silk Road is not only a trade route that only concerned exchange and firms. It is the cultural, political and
religion revival. A place that raised up the Chinese with sentiment and kindness. From the Han to the Tang
Dynasty, Chinese had a positive relation with the west. It established the cultural, knowledge, firms, religion