China Travel Guide - Silk Road

Author: Xu Junfeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-11-01
Features: A convenient travel guide is essential when traveling. The pocket-sized "China Travel Handbook" published by Shaanxi Travel Press is divided into 28 regional travel sections. Each section features themed scenic spots and hot routes. It includes descriptions of urban landscapes, cultural landmarks, and natural attractions, as well as practical travel information and fascinating anecdotes about local customs from the perspective of "great culture, new life." This portable travel guide provides assistance to travelers anytime, anywhere.
Among the three Silk Roads within China—the northern road, the southern maritime road, and the southwestern road—the southwestern road developed earliest, opening as early as the 4th century BC. During the Han Dynasty, this road was known as the "Shu-Shendu," with Shu referring to Sichuan and Shendu being the ancient name for India. It referred to the trade route from Sichuan, passing through Yunnan and Myanmar to reach India. This "road" is commonly known as the "Ancient Southwest Silk Road of Western Yunnan," with its remnants primarily located in places like Shuizhai, Guanpo in Baoshan City, and Boshan Mountain in Dali Prefecture.
The Ancient Southwest Silk Road formed over two thousand years ago during the Han Dynasty, two hundred years earlier than the formation of the northern Silk Road. Like the northern Silk Road, it made significant contributions to world civilization. Historical records state that in 122 BC, Zhang Qian was sent on a mission to the Western Regions (modern-day Afghanistan and Iran). He observed Indian textiles and bamboo canes imported from Sichuan, learning that Sichuan merchants had long been engaged in trade from Yunnan to Myanmar and India. Upon returning to the capital, Zhang Qian reported his findings to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The ambitious and grandiose emperor was thrilled and resolved to invest heavily in opening a direct official road from the southwest to India, involving the state in commercial trade and expanding his empire.
Emperor Wu enfeoffed Zhang Qian as Marquis of Bawang and ordered him to establish bases in Shu Commandery (capital in Chengdu) and Jian Commandery (capital in the southwest of Yibin) to dispatch secret envoys to explore routes to India. However, all attempts were blocked by southwestern minorities and failed. The emperor then mobilized troops from the interior to attack the southwestern states of Yi, Nalang, and Dian, as well as numerous tribes. Due to deep ethnic divisions caused by feudal rulers and fierce resistance from tribal leaders like those of the Kun and Jun tribes, who sought to monopolize lucrative transit trade, it took over a decade to only open a road from Chengdu to the Erhai Lake region. Official envoys did not advance beyond Dali to Baoshan, and trade with India was conducted indirectly through intermediaries.
By the 12th year of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty (69 AD), when the Ailao people submitted to the Eastern Han, the connection through Boshan Mountain and the Lancang River was finally established, opening economic and cultural ties with the Shan people of Myanmar and further into India. The "Shu-Shendu" that Emperor Wu had long sought was finally fully open.
There were two routes for the Sichuan-Yunnan section of the Ancient Southwest Silk Road: One followed the "Ancient Yak Road (Lingguan Road)," starting from Chengdu, passing through Shuangliu, Xinjin, Longqu, Mingshan, Ya'an, Rongjing, Han (Zaidu), Yuexi, Xide, Minning, Xichang, and finally reaching Huili before turning southwest to Panzhihua, crossing the Jinsha River to Dayao in Yunnan, and ending in Dali. The other route started from Chengdu, passed through Pengshan, followed the Min River downstream to Leshan and Yibin, then continued south along the "Five-Foot Road" opened during the Qin Dynasty, passing through Gao County, Yunlian, turning west into the Honghe River Valley, and going through Dousha Pass, Daguan, Zhaotong, Qujing, and Kunming before reaching Dali. After meeting in Dali, the routes continued through Baoshan, Tengchong, Yingjiang to the Bomo area in Myanmar. From Bomo, there were two routes—land and water—to reach India. From India, it was possible to connect to Central Asia and Europe.
Through the Ancient Southwest Silk Road, Chinese silk, Shu textiles, bamboo canes, handicrafts, and ironware were continuously exported, while foreign glass, gemstones, jadeite, and pearls were imported. By the Tang Dynasty, this silk route flourished and remained prosperous for centuries. It was the earliest link between the two ancient civilizations of China and India, making significant contributions to the exchange of culture, economy, and society between China and the world. However, as new routes were discovered and developed, this ancient road gradually declined in use.
With the passage of time, the majority of the Ancient Southwest Silk Road has been lost to history, but some formidable passes, mule tracks, and poetic inscriptions remain as deep historical marks. Notable examples include the ancient ferry at Lanzin in Baoshan, the ruins of the Jihong Bridge, and nearby cliffside poems and inscriptions. Sections like Shuizhai and Guanzhuang in Baoshan were once manually carved rock roads, which are still well-preserved today. The Shuizhai section, stretching about 10 kilometers from the Lancang River to Changwan, originally had post stations like Pingpo, Shanda, and Shuizhai. Today, remnants of Pingpo’s small street remain—a 3-meter-wide, 50-meter-long street with street gates at both ends. From Pingpo to Shuizhai via Luoyang Mountain, a 3-4 kilometer-long section carved into cliffs is a treacherous path with over 500 steps resembling a "cloud ladder." The steps bear deep mule track impressions, some as deep as 13 centimeters, testifying to the immense difficulty of traversing this route in ancient times.