Han Dynasty

How is it started

As all of us have known, original silk road was established during Han dynasty which linked the regions of the ancient world in commerce between 130 BCE-1453 CE. In 138 BCE, Emperor Wu sent his emissary Zhang Qian to the west to negotiate with the Yuezhi people for help in defeating the Xiongnu. Zhang Qian’s expedition led him into contact with many different cultures and civilizations in central Asia and, among them, those whom he designated the `Dayuan’, the `Great Ionians’, who were the Greco-Bactrians descended from Alexander the Great’s army. Due to the fact that textile industry which produced silk in Han dynasty was at the peak of all around the world and people from the other countries had never been aware of silk, a great merchant and cultural exchange connection had been built among China and many other ancient western countries in Europe based on the trading of silk.

Commodities that Han exported to other Countries: 

  1. Silk
  2. Tea
  3. Dyes
  4. Precious stones
  5. Porcelain(plates, bowls, cups, vases)
  6. Spices(Cinnamon and ginger)
  7. Bronze and gold artifacts
  8. Medicine
  9. Perfumes
  10. Ivory
  11. Rice
  12. Paper
  13. Gunpowder

Commodities that other countries exported to Han:

  1. Horses
  2. Saddles and Riding Tack
  3. The grapevine and grapes
  4. Dogs and other animals both exotic and domestic
  5. Animal furs and skins
  6. Honey
  7. Fruits
  8. Glassware
  9. Woolen blankets, rugs, carpets

Note: Due to the facts that great amount of commodities were traded between China and other countries and the continuation of the silk road, cultural communications between other countries and Han dynasty gradually happened along the silk road.

Cultural Exchange:

  1. Chinese paper-printing technology spread to the Western Countries
  2.  Exchange between Chinese and Western agricultural techniques
  3. Chinese water conservancy technology spread to the Western
  4. Religions from other countries such as Christianity, Catholicism, and Buddhism gradually spread to China
  5. Exchange of art (paintings, craftwork, music)
  6. Exchange of medicine

Impacts that Silk Road brought to the four classes of Han:

The silk road in Han officially connected Asia and Western Countries, promoting both economic and cultural communication among different areas which enriched Han Dynasty’s economy and people’s life.

Impact on scholars: The trading of different commodities from Han and other countries including treasures, daily using, food, and animals enriched their knowledge of the outside world of Han as well as their curiosity for learning other country’s culture.

Impact on merchants: Silk road increased variety of commodities and boosted merchant’s positivity of promoting individual business which also improved national economy in a large scale.

Impact on peasants: Fruits, food, plants, animals, and farming techniques exchange involved in the silk road trading enabled peasants from Han to acquire new skills and knowledge about farming and planting; peasants were able to bring up new agricultural commodities to Han society, promoting the agricultural economy of Han.

Impact on artisans: Western style of glassware, blankets, jewelry, and many other commodities had Han artisans eyes open. The flowing of outside craftworks gave Han artisans understanding of making western-styled craftwork.

 

Skip to toolbar