Syria Learns from China while the Chinese “Go Global”

The Silk Road was once the heart of global commerce, a land bridge stretching thousands of miles, connecting China with the Middle East. A caravan might begin in Changan, the Chinese imperial city better known today as Xian, famous for its collection of terracotta warriors. It was here that jade, silk, and musk were collected from around the country before they started their journey west. The caravans traveled to the last fortified Chinese barrier at Dunhuang before attempting to skirt the Tarim Basin and its deadly Taklamakan Desert. There were many routes, but all were difficult and the caravans faced problems with food, water, sandstorms, and marauders. After passing through the fortified cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, the caravans traveled across the Persian Plateau before finally connecting up with the Great Desert Route, which linked the cities of ancient Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean Sea. The Syrian city of Damascus lay at the end of the route, a few days ride from the trading ports of Beirut, Sidon, and Tripoli.1