Silk Road
The Silk Road generally refers to an overland route for silk trade, which connected China with Central Asia and India. In 1877, German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen named this route the "Silk Road" in his book China: the Results of My travels and the Studies Based thereon, and the concept has since been popularized.
The ancient Silk Road originated from a route opened up by Zhang Qian (around 164-114BC) who was sent by Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206B.C.-A.D.25) to the western regions. It started from Xi'an, passed through Gansu and Xinjiang, and reached the Mediterranean via Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and other countries, with Rome as the final destination. It became a route that connected ancient Eastern and Western civilizations. For thousands of years, people along the Silk Road traded in goods and had extensive religious, po- litical, and cultural exchanges, generating a profound impact on the progress of Eastern and Western civilizations. There was also the "Maritime Silk Road" for trade by sea that started from coastal cities such as Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou, passed through Southeast Asia and the Arabian Sea, and reached as far as the east coast of Africa.
Rather than merely a trade route, the ancient Silk Road fostered friendship. Friendly exchanges between China and other nations gave rise to the Silk Road Spirit, which promoted peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning,and mutual benefit. In 2013, China unveiled a major initiative calling for cooperation in building the "Belt & Road", reframing the ancient Silk Road in the context of a brand new era and giving it new meaning. The initiative brings back memories of fruitful exchanges between countries along the route, and has gained wide support from the international community. In 2014, the "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tian- shan Corridor", the eastern section of the Silk Road, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after a joint application by China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan was approved. The ancient Silk Road greatly contributed to the circulation of commodi- ties, the dissemination of science and technology, the exchange of ideas, and the integration of diverse cultures on the Eurasian continent, providing inspiration for today's pursuit of world peace and development.
丝绸之路
丝绸之路，一般指陆上丝绸之路。1877年，德国地质地理学家李希霍芬在《中国》一书中把中国与中亚、中国与印度间以丝绸贸易为媒介的这条西域交通道路命名为"丝绸之路"，这一概念由此广泛传播。
古代丝绸之路起源于汉武帝派张骞（约前164-前114）出使西域所开辟的通道。它以西安为起点，经甘肃、 新疆，再经阿富汗、伊朗、伊拉克、叙利亚等而达地中海， 以罗马为终点，成为连接亚欧大陆的古代东西方文明的交汇之路。数千年来，人们沿着丝绸之路进行商品、宗教、政治、文化等方面的广泛交流，对东西方文明进步产生深远影响。此外，还有从广州、泉州、杭州、扬州等沿海城市出发，从南洋到阿拉伯海，甚至远达非洲东海岸的海上贸易的“海上丝绸之路”。
古代丝绸之路是一条贸易之路，更是一条友谊之路。在中华民族同其他民族的友好交往中，逐步形成了以和平合作、开放包容、互学互鉴、互利共赢为特征的丝绸之路精神。2013年，中国提出共建“一带一路”重大倡议，赋予古代丝绸之路以全新的时代内涵，唤起了沿线国家的历史记忆，得到国际社会广泛支持。2014年，中国、哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦联合申报的陆上丝绸之路东段“丝绸之路：长安-天山廊道的路网”入选世界文化遗产。古代丝绸之路为亚欧大陆商品物产大流通、科学技术大传播、思想观念大碰撞、多元文化大交融作出巨大贡献，也为当今世界和平与发展提供历史启迪。
