The Silk Road: A New History

Looking through a book of maps, I came across one covering Central Asia, an area with which I had no familiarity. After reading reviews of several books, I chose to read this one, and am so pleased that I did. This book has two goals: (1) to disabuse the reader of the idea that the Silk Road was a heavily used trade route with merchants carrying goods between China and the West; and (2) to show the reader what we know and how we know it about life along it from the first century BCE to the eleventh century CE. It addresses archeological finds along the route from Chang'an (today's Xi'an) in central China to Samarkand in today's Uzbekistan, including the northern and southern routes around the Taklamakan Desert. Probably the most impactful function of the route was to be the means by which Buddhism spread from India into China, although it is also responsible for the spread of papermaking from China to the West. Its commercial height came during the Tang dynasty from 618 to 753 CE when silk and other trade goods from China were sent to its military outposts where they were sold for provisions. When the dynasty weakened and withdrew, the western part of the route fell under Islamic control and the central part was dominated by the Uighurs (who had always lived there, but were joined by others driven out of the north by the Huns). But throughout the entire period, these city-states were sending envoys to each other and local traders were exchanging goods at farmer, livestock and artisan markets. The array of cultures, religions and languages revealed by the book is broad; Hansen calls the area the crossroads of Central Asia. Have you heard about the Sogdians? Did you know that Manicheaism was not just a heresy but a religion? The "how we know it" is as interesting as the "what we know." The work of scribes copying sources from one language to another they were learning, somehow surviving to this day by dint of climate, a reverence for the past, and the efforts of archaeologists, has permitted the translation of many of these dead languages. The bureaucratic tasks of tax collection, contract formation, dispute resolution and travel authorization have given us the ability to recreate the patterns of daily life. The book was engrossing and I learned a lot. Having started at zero, I now appreciate how much a better understanding of Hindu and Buddhist scripture and of Chinese history and culture would enrich my knowledge.

This book is well researched and well written but I have given it four stars as it is really a history of only a small part of what is known as the silk road, the history of the towns around the perimeter of the Taklamakan Desert. I was hoping for more coverage of the areas to the west but perhaps that will be another book. An A+ for the illustrations and maps. I certainly learned a great deal, particularly that the "Silk Road" was not a long distance trade route but rather an ancient migration route that in the first 1000 years AD brought in refugees and missionaries from all over Asia.

Between two east-west mountain ranges lies the Tarim Basin. Some water comes down from the mountains and waters the edge of the desert; therefore there is a row of oases along the north edge and another along the south edge. Historians since the 1880s have theorized that caravans moved from oasis to oasis, comprising the "Silk Road."Chang'An (modern Xian) is the eastern terminus, and is within the scope of the book. To the west, coverage ends near Kashgar, rather than extending into the mountain passes that lead toward Samarkand.Accidental caches of documents have been found in half a dozen widely-separated areas within the Tarim Basin. Scholars have each specialized on particular oases and particular caches. (They also read Chinese historical accounts and archaeological inscriptions, of course.) Each has determined that he or she has not found evidence of any large-scale or systematic "silk route" trade, but only local trade and the passage of emissaries and religious seekers from one city-state to another. They go, "Well, the evidence isn't here, but maybe it's somewhere else."Dr. Hansen brings this all together: There have been enough document finds, some of them enormous, that if there had been caravan trade, it would have left marks in the documentation, but it has not. For instance, there were strict controls over who traveled where, with "visas" being issued. Many of these visas have been found, and nearly all of them are for local travel, emissaries, and pilgrims. None is for any group that looks like a stereotypical caravan.Along the way, the book paints a vivid picture of what life was like in this region. For instance, she unravels the various ethnic and religious groups so you can get a real feeling of what it was like. Various languages were used, and over time they sometimes transcribed languages into different scripts in a weird and wonderful way.The maps are excellent two-page spreads and a large map on the inside covers (front and back.) If there's a gap between pages, look at the maps in the front and back. I wish only that she had mapped the western passes toward Samarkand and toward the sources of horses. The Chinese were very interested in getting horses from the western regions.There is enough information here to lead me to speculate farther than Dr. Hansen has. For instance, the climate seems to have been wetter, even just 100 years ago, and I think she'd agree with that if asked. Also, it is curious that the Chinese did not mark a route and declare it an "imperial highway," because if they had simply designated a route, it probably would have been gradually improved to make travel easier. As it was, people were just using a network of trails or moving cross-country, so they had no sense that they were using a "road" or permanent route. Hence they had no incentive to build bridges, smooth the rough areas, or dig wells along the way. Even when they got LOST, they would either die or they would shrug and move forward without marking the way for people who came after them.At this stage of my life, I keep very few books. The University of Illinois Library is right across town. But I am keeping my own copy of Dr. Hansen's book, right here where I can pluck it from the shelf at a moment's notice.

With the new belt and road policy of China it is interesting to see how Central Chinese government also made Silk Road what it was.

Somewhat dry and academic but thorough.

Very much liked.

Brilliant present for a friend about to travel the road.

Valerie Hansen è archeologa e soprattutto presenta documenti recuperati lungo il tratto Xinjiang-Cina/Samarcanda-Uzbekistan di quella che noi (dal 1877) chiamiamo Via della Seta. Contratti di acquisto, passi di transito (attraverso i numerosi piccoli regni della zona), contratti legali e simili. I mercanti dovevano solo dichiarare persone e animali, non merci. Monete ne circolavano poche, circolavano soprattutto rotoli di seta che erano anche la moneta con cui venivano pagati i soldati di stanza nella regione (quindi niente di lussuoso). Non attendetevi favolosi racconti, ma resti di vite modeste di soldati, contadini, monaci e mercanti, sopravissuti perché la zona è un deserto arido e secco. I mercanti, con le loro carovane di cammelli ma soprattutto di asini, coprivano pochi chilometri poi la merce veniva venduta, prima che arrivasse in Europa passava per innumeri mani. Le cose importanti che passavano erano le credenze religiose (buddisti, zorostriani, manichei e altro) e relativi testi. Il libro praticamente termina il periodo islamico, però fa capire molto a fondo cosa era quella che noi chiamiamo Via della Seta.

un bon ouvrage, centré sur Chine et Asie centrale ne recoupant que peu l'autre livre "silk roads" qui traite des relations internationales jusqu'aux temps contemporains de Frankopan. Mieux structuré que l'ouvrage "the open empire" qui veut traiter de l'histoire de la Chine et rate son but à mon avis.Le texte anglais est très accessible aux Français ce qui ne gâche rien donc .

already posted

I found out that I knew next to nothing about east asia.The lecture of the Silk Road sent me on a global reading on the whole of the Asian world so as to better understant the actual world.

Interesting and informative with a lot of historical detail. Concentrates on trade, culture and new discoveries rather than battles and bloodshed. New discoveries in writing.

Brilliant. Being almost the most recent book covering this area she brings the subject up to date. At the same time she sticks rigidly to what the documents actually tell us.It doesn't do unsubstantiated flights of fancy!

This good background stuff but you need to read other volumes to get a better picture

Very heavy reading with difficult names but the maps are good. Our book club read it but only three of us finished it. The rest gave up or did did not try. We thought a lecture on the book would have been better than the read. But if you like reading history of the Far East, you would like this book

Well written. Very informative with good anecdotal evidence.

An interesting new insight into the Silk Road

This is an extraordinary work, lavishly illustrated, supported by field research conducted by the author, multi faceted and covering all aspects of the history of life along the trading route including migrations, religious influences, the rise and decline of various tribes all underwritten by the power house of China. Linguists, social scientists, historians, businessmen and the simply curious (like me) will find much to relish between it's covers. So, why not five stars? Why does the author have to stick to the politically correct terms CE and BCE? Does it point to an underlying determination by her to steamroller change that many find reprehensible and does that point to a mindset that may have impacted her conclusions in this scholarly tour de force?