“To follow the Silk Road is to follow a ghost. It flows through the heart of Asia, but it has officially

vanished, leaving behind its restlessness: counterfeit borders, unmapped peoples. The road forks

and wanders wherever you are. It is not a single way, but many: a web of choices.”

                                                                              (Colin Thubron, Shadow of the Silk Road) 

 

The Old Silk Road is a place, a history, and a metaphor. 

 

It is, in fact, a collection of ancient routes, 6,500 kilometers long which had its origins under the First Persian Empire and was subsequently developed by the Han Dynasty in China. It expanded over the centuries to cover much of Asia and the Middle East, then into Europe and, finally, Africa. It gradually became a popularised route when first the Persians and then the Italians joined in the sericulture industry to provide that much sought-after material: silk. With its network of trading centers, hostels and transit stations it facilitated an exchange of trade, ideas, and goods that would not otherwise have been possible.

 

 The Old Silk Road was not entirely on land; it also encompassed maritime routes.  It had a profound impact not only on the global economy but also on the development of ideas and scientific knowledge; ideas which have helped to shape the world in which we live.  It led to the spread of many ideologies, cultures, and even religions; for example, the route contributed to the spread of Islam, with many

Arab Muslims traveling along the Silk Road to China to spread the Islamic faith.  In addition,

Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Nestorianism were all introduced to China

and parts of India because of the influence of the Silk Road.

 

The spread of papermaking was also enhanced by the route as have the production method spread from

China through much of central Asia as a direct result of the road. Architecture, town planning,

as well as music and art from many different cultures were transported along the Silk Road.

Actors from the East performed in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). Music from

Eastern Turkestan and Central Asia grew popular in China. At the same time, Timur’s structures in Samarkand and Timurid tombs at Gur Emirhave drawn heavily on architectural

influences from various countries such as Iran, Georgia, and India.

 

Even today, the Silk Road holds economic and cultural significance for many. It is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whilst the United Nations World Tourist Organisation has developed the route as a way of ‘fostering peace and understanding.’ Looking at the number of countries in today’s

world that constituted the ancient Old Silk Road, we can understand why it holds that designation. 

These include Azerbaijan, China, Korea, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.  A veritable mini-United Nations held together by a joint history.

 

“Silk Road embodies the spirit of discovery and exchange. We want to encourage people

to look for what unites them instead of what divides them.” (Laura Freid)

 

As we have seen, travelers along those ancient highways would have encountered different cultures, religions, and architecture, along with new and exotic goods to be traded. They would have

crossed grassy plains, arid deserts, snowy mountains, verdant valleys, and perhaps

stormy seas and pirates.  It was not a journey for the faint of heart!

 

The Old Silk Road provides modern writers a wealth of opportunities. There are possibilities for

creative non-fiction, drawing on real people or events encountered along its route, either in history

or in modern times. There are opportunities for writing stories or poems describing an exciting discovery;

a landscape, idea, or culture, that the narrator has never encountered before. Conflict caused by

clashes of religions could provide the background for tales of forbidden love –

something as relevant today as in days of old.

 

 There are exotic, fabled places along the route which offer great settings for adventure stories or travelogues. Whether in modern or ancient times, it provides a great background for

drama, such as spy stories, mysteries, and thrillers while enabling romantic stories,

with many twists and turns to be recounted. In the Old Silk Road, fact, fiction,

and creativity combine to offer a rich resource to be mined.

 

So, metaphorically speaking, put on your hiking boots or mount a horse. Travel the Old Silk Road in the company of others and write stories and poems worthy of a modern-day Arabian Nights. 

 

“The map of the world is drawn by travelers and nomads. Built into it are steps, nights and days, stations and encounters.” (Jasna Horvat, Vilijun)

 

(With thanks and acknowledgments to the Ethical Silk Company, History Site, National Geographic Society, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Wikipedia, and others.  Movies about the Old Silk Road  exist on both ‘YouTube’ and the ‘History Channel’ and can offer more information.)