The New Journey to the West
Immaculate Heart of Mary College , Chung , Hin Cheung – 13
C
hinese ' journey to the west is a long lasting story which tells us many things of the adventures of our ancestors . After my grandfather had passed away , it took me a lot of courage to go to his room and tidy up his stuffs . My grandpa was always proud of the adventures he had when he was young . He told me about his trip to the famous Silk Road . He , liked many of us , had heard of the stories about Silk Road and read the novel , Journey to the West . However , the story he told me was about the history of this road which is about legends and adventures . ZhangQian is the main character on The Silk Road . He was sent by Emperor Wu to take with him silk , fictile , Chinese Culture , tea and luxury goods in exchange for fruit and books from other countries . The trading between China and other countries was started and that has been continuing up till now . Since the trading between China and other countries was working very well after the birth of the Silk Road , many Chinese did welcome others into their world . They set counters at borders and for anyone who wanted to visit China for trading . They must got the permission issued by the Chinese government or court , and the permission was usually written on bamboos to get the exact day and place on them to make sure the merchants were not trying to attack the locals . This complicated border restriction manifested the intelligence and administrative system our ancestors had . Through the pathway of the Silk Roads , Chinese could not wait to see the more of the outside world . Trade between China and the Asia countries like India and the Middle East grew rapidly and then the ones to the farther world also started . From some historical documentary , it is said that the silks made by hand in China was being used by the rich and powerful in Carthage and other places in the Mediterranean two millennia ago . After the famous adventure and the journey to the west of Zhang Qian in Han Dynasty , more Chinese ambassadors were sent to the west for trading or for learning more about other countries . The Silk Road was famous for helping Chinese get more fine horses called Heavenly Horses ( Ferghana horses ) from Ferghana which allowed the troops of the Han Dynasty to win in wars , and later defended themselves against Xiongnu . This kind of " blood-sweating " horses were so popular in China because of its size and speed which could not be found in China , so the Silk Road became the main gateway for importing these first class horses . Marco Polo travelled to China in 14th century through the Silk Road , and he mentioned about the passport given by the Chinese government for his trip in China . China was always considered to be a safe place for many merchants at that time with this passport system . The passports were made of pieces of bamboo with words written on them recording the destinations of the merchants , as well as the time they entered the border and the day they would leave the country The Silk Road was indeed the journey to the west , and for us , it is a road to remember the history of our ancestors . Our ancestors were so strong to brave the sandstorm and extreme weather to get to other countries for trade , and it was not an easy way as properties or lives could be lost . However , our ancestors showed us their courage , and because of their hard work , Chinese people were given the chance to see more about other places . P Nowadays , Chinese is developed in a faster pace . With its rise in economic influence in the world , many from the west or even other countries want a share in Chinese market which is a huge one . Though , the Silk Road is no longer the only way for Chinese to go to the countries like Iraq , India and Persia . The Silk Road now includes Europe and Somalia , and it is still an important place for us to recall the brave acts of our ancestors who allowed us to see the outside world . Tourists can still find traces of trading activities along the Silk Road , and in Xian , there is an exhibition of Terracotta Army which can tell you more about the great side of Han Dynasty . There are also some temples on the Silk Road which tell us about the booming activities on Silk Road in Tang Dynasty . The Chinese monk Xuanzang passed through the Silk Road to go to India for learning more about Buddhism during Tang Dynasty , and his traces are still manifested through the existence of temples in China and on the Silk Road . The past always gives us a lesson to learn to prepare for our future . The past of the Silk Road is pointing to the future of Chinese trading activities . The Chinese way of trading is fair and intelligent which guarantee the safety of the merchants and people . Maybe it is time for us to reflect on our system in the modern world and to see if we could learn from the great system in ancient China . It is never too late to learn from our ancestors who opened a gate to the west for us . China is more involved in international trading now , and it is showing to the world that the Chinese way of trading is always fair , negotiable and efficient .