| The Silk Road was a trade highway that began in | | | | Maijishan Grottoes that were created for over |
| the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-9 AD) and | | | | ten dynasties, the Jiayu Pass of the Great Wall, |
| connected the eastern and the western worlds. | | | | the signal towers of the Han Dynasty, the |
| The Silk Road is usually defined as the | | | | famous Ta'er Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism, |
| transportation and trade road that traversed | | | | the ruins of Gaochang once a strategic town on |
| Central Asia and the Pamir Plateau to reach | | | | the Silk Road, and the ruins of Stone City where |
| Western Asia. The Silk Road is composed of | | | | you can find clues about Xuan Zang Buddha and |
| many main roads and branch roads. The north | | | | Marco Polo. This is a small number of the various |
| road (the Prairie Silk Road) started from the | | | | sites, relics, and landscapes that exist along China's |
| Mongolian Plateau and ended in Karakoram. | | | | portion of the Silk Road. |
| Historically, it was an important road used by the | | | | The natural landscape along the Silk Road is |
| nomads of the Central Asia to travel west. There | | | | nothing short of stunning: the Bird Island of Qinghai |
| originally were several routes, but the longest one | | | | , Qinghai's Salt Lake, the Swan Nature Reserve in |
| in was known as the Desert Silk Road. It had | | | | the Bayanbulak Grassland, the Heavenly Lake in |
| been frequently mentioned in ancient documents. | | | | Tianshan Mountain, the wind corroded terrain of |
| The south road, known as the Silk Road on the | | | | Lopnur, Danxia Landform, Turpan's Flaming |
| Sea was primarily used by Southeast Asians, | | | | Mountain, the Ghost City of Karamay, and many |
| Persians, and Arabs. This sea road started from | | | | more, too numerous to name. For centuries, |
| China, passed through India, Southeast Asia, | | | | these magnificent places have attracted many |
| crossed the Red Sea, to finally reach the Persian | | | | tourists to explore. |
| Gulf. | | | | Many ethnic minority groups inhabit the area along |
| For over ten centuries, Chinese culture, Roman | | | | the Silk Road. In Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai |
| culture and the Persian culture had been | | | | Provinces and the Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous |
| connected by the ancient Silk Road. Because of | | | | Region, the ethnic groups each have different |
| the Silk Road, Chinese silk, gun powder making, | | | | cultural tradition, customs, historical background, |
| paper-making, and printing were introduced to the | | | | and religious beliefs. They are noted for their |
| west, while Buddhism, Nestorianism, Islam, and | | | | hospitality and excel in singing and dancing. |
| many arts and technologies were brought into | | | | Travelers along the Silk Road can visit Xipo Ethnic |
| China. The Silk Road had brought the exchange of | | | | Garden, the ethnic kindergartens and villages, and |
| goods, and ideas between China and the West | | | | visitors can see herdsmen living as they have for |
| since it was first opened up. | | | | centuries. In different ethnic communities, you can |
| The center road that which extended from Asia | | | | enjoy indigenous singing and dancing, attend unique |
| to Europe started in Xian in the east and ran over | | | | festive events, holiday celebrations, and shop for |
| 7,000 kilometers through China's Shaanxi, Gansu, | | | | indigenous arts and, crafts. In some sections of |
| Ningxia, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces, over the | | | | the Silk Road, you can take a cable car to view |
| Pamir Plateau and across parts of the | | | | scenery, or rent camels to travel in the desert to |
| Commonwealth of Independent States in central | | | | enjoy the landscape, and endless sea of sand. |
| Asia, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Syria | | | | In recent years the Chinese government has |
| before it got to the east coast of the | | | | been improving the roads and infrastructures |
| Mediterranean. The section in China is more than | | | | along the Silk Road. As one of the most famous |
| 4,000 kilometers long, over half of the total | | | | tourist projects of China, the ancient Silk Road |
| length. | | | | has attracted the attention of the whole world. |
| Historic sites and cultural relics are rich along the | | | | Many visitors come on this desert adventure for |
| Chinese section. There are the Terracotta | | | | scientific survey, historical and culture exploration, |
| Warriors of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), the | | | | ethnic life experience, ecological tour, sports tour, |
| Famen Temple that still houses bone fragments | | | | and to learn about one of the most important |
| of The Buddha Sakyamuni, the Mogao and | | | | culture and trade routes in the world's history. |