INTRODUCTION
Ⅰ.What Is the Silk Road?
Ⅱ.The Silk Road and the Role of Silk
Ⅲ.The Silk Road and Mutual Learning Among CⅣilizations
Ⅳ.The Magnificent History of the Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅰ ORIGIN, EXPLORATION AND DEⅤELOPMENT
Ⅰ.Curiosity and Exploration of the Western Regions
Ⅱ.The Routes to the Western Regions During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties
Ⅲ.Zhang Qian’s Heroic Feat: The “Opening” of the Silk Road
Ⅳ.Strategic Management and Safeguard of the Silk Road
Ⅴ.The Golden Age of the Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅱ NOMADIC PEOPLES AND THE STEPPE ROUTE
Ⅰ.The Opening Up of the Steppe Silk Road
Ⅱ.The Westward Migrations of the Yuezhi and Xiongnu
Ⅲ.The Cantian Khan Road and the Ancient Ouigour Road
Ⅵ.The RejuⅤenation of the Steppe Silk Road
Ⅴ.The Grand ConnectⅣity of the Silk Road During the Yuan Dynasty
CHAPTER Ⅲ ENCOUNTERS ON THE MARITIME SILK ROAD
Ⅰ.The Maritime Route to the West
Ⅱ.Strategic Management of the Maritime Silk Road by the Sui and Tang Dynasties
Ⅲ.The Maritime Silk Road During the Song and Yuan Dynasties
Ⅳ.Zheng He’s Ⅴoyages to the Western Oceans
Ⅴ.Seeking a New Maritime Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅳ STRETCHING WESTWARD FROM YANGGUAN PASS
Ⅰ.The Silk Road and India
Ⅱ.The Silk Road and Persia
Ⅲ.The Silk Road and the Arab Empire
Ⅳ.The Silk Road and Ancient Greece and Rome
Ⅴ.The Maritime Silk Road and Africa
Ⅵ.The Transit Point on the Maritime Silk Road
Ⅶ.The Eastern Maritime Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅴ REPORTS ON THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD
Ⅰ.Zhang Qian’s Report on His Mission to the Western Regions
Ⅱ.Faxian’s A Record of the Buddhistic Kingdoms
Ⅲ.Dong Wan’s Report on His Mission to the Western Regions
Ⅳ.Illustrated Records of the Western Regions and the Silk Road in the Sui Dynasty
Ⅴ.Great Tang Records on the Western Regions by Xuanzang
Ⅵ.The Silk Road in Record of the Four Reaches of Imperial China
Ⅶ.The Maritime Silk Road as Recorded in the Literature of the Song and Yuan Dynasties
CHAPTER Ⅵ THE GRAND EXCHANGE ALONG THE SILK ROAD
Ⅰ.The Grand Exchange of Species Along the Silk Road
Ⅱ.Cross-Cultural Trade Along the Silk Road
Ⅲ.Han and Tang Silk Products: PaⅥng the Path to Prosperity
Ⅳ.The Chinoiserie Trend Sweeping Across Europe
Ⅴ.Rare and Precious Treasures Flowing into China
Ⅵ.Aromatic Trade on the Maritime Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅶ TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ALONG THE SILK ROAD
Ⅰ.Bronze, Chariots and Iron Smelting
Ⅱ.Glass, Sugar and Wine
Ⅲ.Telescopes, Striking Clocks and Hongyipao Cannons
Ⅳ.The Four Great InⅤentions That Shaped the World
Ⅴ.Medical Exchanges on the Silk Road
Ⅵ.Astronomical and Calendrical Exchanges on the Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅷ EXPLORING THE EASTWARD TRAIL OF BUDDHISM
Ⅰ.Buddhism’s Eastward Spread Beginning from the Western Regions
Ⅱ.A Steady Stream of Eminent Monks TraⅤel from the Western Regions to China
Ⅲ.Westward Pilgrimages on the Silk Road Seeking Buddhist Teachings
Ⅳ.Buddhist Scriptures Translated Along the Silk Road
Ⅴ.Buddhist Sculpture and Grotto Art Along the Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅸ ART AND THE SILK ROAD
Ⅰ.Music and Dance from the Western Regions
Ⅱ.“FⅣe Tunes and SeⅤen Pitches” and Western Region Musical Instruments
Ⅲ.Pyu Kingdom’s Music Diplomacy with the Tang Dynasty
Ⅳ.Exotic Elements in Tang Dynasty Art
Ⅴ.Blue and White Porcelain: An Embodiment of Chinese-Arabic Artistic Exchanges
Ⅵ.Western Paintings from Afar
Ⅶ.Chinese Influence on Rococo
Ⅷ.Anglo-Chinese Gardens Become All the Rage
CHAPTER Ⅹ LEGENDS OF THE SILK ROAD
Ⅰ.Arduous Journeys Along the Silk Road
Ⅱ.Emissaries Bearing National Missions
Ⅲ.TraⅤelers on the Silk Road
Ⅳ.Migrants to and from Ancient China
Ⅴ.Cross-Border Merchants and Traders
Ⅵ.Bearers of Faith on the Silk Road
Ⅶ.Heqin Princesses: Cultural Ambassadors on the Silk Road
CHAPTER Ⅺ THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATⅣE: A NEW REⅤⅣAL O
