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Eastern and Western Look at the History of the Silk Road

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Eastern and Western Look at the History of the Silk Road Journal of Critical Reviews ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 9, 2020 EASTERN AND WESTERN LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE SILK ROAD Kobzeva Olga1, Siddikov Ravshan2, Doroshenko Tatyana3, Atadjanova Sayora4, Ktaybekov Salamat5 1Professor, Doctor of Historical Sciences, National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. [email protected] 2Docent, Candidate of historical Sciences, National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. [email protected] 3Docent, Candidate of Historical Sciences, National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. [email protected] 4Docent, Candidate of Historical Sciences, National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. [email protected] 5Lecturer at the History faculty, National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. [email protected] Received: 17.03.2020 Revised: 02.04.2020 Accepted: 11.05.2020 Abstract This article discusses the eastern and western views of the Great Silk Road as well as the works of scientists who studied the Great Silk Road. The main direction goes to the historiography of the Great Silk Road of 19-21 centuries. Keywords: Great Silk Road, Silk, East, West, China, Historiography, Zhang Qian, Sogdians, Trade and etc. © 2020 by Advance Scientific Research. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.09.17 INTRODUCTION another temple in Suzhou, sacrifices are offered so-called to the The historiography of the Great Silk Road has thousands of “Yellow Emperor”, who according to a legend, with the help of 12 articles, monographs, essays, and other kinds of investigations. In animals invented a loom for the manufacture of silk fabrics. its development, we can trace the periods of rise associated with an increase in interest in the topic of studying the very history of Archaeological facts indicate that silk production in China began this Great Transcontinental Road. in the Neolithic era. So, in 1926, a silkworm cocoon was discovered in the Neolithic city of Haiyun in Shaanxi province. It One of these periods dates back to the beginning of the 21st was dated back to 6 thousand BC. In 1973, a small bowl was century, when the revival of the Silk Road reappeared. In the found with an image of a silkworm engraved on it. The finding historiography of the history of the Great Silk Road of the was made in the Neolithic culture of Yuao (date from 6-7 beginning of the 21st century, there are various conceptual and millennium BC) in Zhejiang province. However, biologists methodological approaches. Having examined the eastern concluded that the silkworm shown was not yet domesticated at (Chinese) and western (Anglo-American) historiography of the that time. In 1958, archaeologists discovered a silk thread, silk Silk Road in this article, we would like to highlight the main parts ribbons and a piece of silk in Tsangshang, Zhenziang Province. of these approaches. These items date back to 4700 BC. The pieces of silk were dyed and seemingly made at household conditions. Further research MAIN BODY showed that this silk was made using a kind of loom. In 2006, the publishing house of the foreign press, published the monograph “The Story of Silk” by Liu Zhiju an under the heading In 1984, in the cultural layers of Yangshao (Henan Province), the “Oriental Look”, in Beijing, China. remains of silk fabric were discovered, datedto more than 5 thousand years because of painted ceramics. The silk fabric was This section was created specifically for a foreign reader. The light crimson. series of books “The History of the Tree”, “The History of Bronze”, and “The History of Gold” published in English offer the Spindles with engraved patterns were found in the ruins of reader, in an accessible form, to get acquainted with the opinions Qishan, in Hebei province (dated back to 5 thousand years), of the Chinese researchers, scholars, historians and orientalists, Hemudu in Zhenjiang province (dated back to more than 4 as well as experts on various issues, related to the history of the thousand years), Wanpu in Shaanxi province (dated back to 6700 above mentioned subjects. - 5600 thousand years). The monograph “The Story of Silk” consists of eight chapters. The area where modern Sichuan province is located combines mythical legends about silk and the traditional culture of its In the chapter I, which is called “The Origin of Silk”, the author production. Ancient records tell us that the first king of the Shu wrote fascinating legends about the appearance of silk in state (the ancient name of Sichuan) was called Kang Kok, which China.[1] In Chinese mythology and natural philosophy, legends in translation means “the accumulation of silkworms”, and this have been preserved that prove that Empress Li Chu first drew most likely implied a totem of its kind. Another confirmation of attention to the silk cocoon that fell into the cup during tea this is the bronze teapot dating back to the period of “The drinking, and she became the legendary ancestor for Fighting Kingdoms” (475 - 221 BC), which depicts a dragon that manufacturing silk fabrics. In her honor, and in honor of this surprisingly resembles a silkworm caterpillar.[2]One of the little- discovery, several temples were built, one of which was built in known “silk roads” passed along Sichuan. The road also crossed 1627, has survived to this day in the city of Suzhou, in the Yunnan province and stretched to the northern borders of province of Jiangsu. The National Museum called “Chinese Silk” is Burma, and then across the Brahmapurthra River to India along located in the neighboring city Hangzhou, and it contains the the Ganges coast to the Iranian Highlands. According to most ancient, rare and beautiful examples of silk products. In Journal of critical reviews 93 EASTERN AND WESTERN LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE SILK ROAD scientists, the formation of this path began more than 3000 years military stationed in the region and guaranteeing the safety of ago. diplomats and caravan routes. Summing up the archaeological excursion, Liu Zhijunconcludes Soon, control over the Silk Road was divided between the major that “archaeological findings lie only in some places in China, powers of that time. The beginning of the road from Chanyani where silkworm appeared and multiplied and silk production (Xi’an) to Lobnor and Dunhuang was controlled by Chinese probably developed independently of each other”. merchants, the middle part of the road was dominated by Persians, Sogdians and Kushans, and the western part was in the Further in the first chapter, the features of the technology for the hands of Greek, Armenian and Jewish merchants. production of silk and silk products in the pre-Qin period (III - I millennium BC) are described. The book provides colorful A special role was played by the Chinese trade contacts with descriptions and illustrations of silk paintings, books made of silk warlike nomads. Peaceful relations with them were largely made in the “Spring and Autumn periods” and during the dependent on silk trade. Emperor Wu Di also paved the so-called Western Zhou Dynasty. Southern Silk Road to India through Yunnan. Soon, many central regions of China became familiar with each other and introduced In the “Book of Odas”, the first comprehensive collection of ivory, stained glass, various spices, wool blankets, and grapes. poems and songs in Chinese, consisting of 305 verses (“Spring and Autumn periods”, dated back to 770 - 476 BC) and folk songs The second chapter of the book also explores the reasons for the of 15 States, (located on the site of modern provinces Henan, strengthening of trade on the Silk Road in the first centuries of Hebei, Shandu, Shaanxi) provides descriptions of mulberry our era. The author explains this primarily by the fact that the leaves, silkworms, silk fabrics and clothing. Persian merchants, who became the main intermediaries in the sale of silk to the Roman Empire, sold silk 100 times more During the Late Zhou, special officials were appointed to oversee expensive than they could buy from Chinese merchants. the silk manufacturing process. For some time, only women could officially lead spinners and weavers. Others looked after The Han government sent Gan Yin with a mission to establish coloring only with natural and mineral paints. direct contacts with the Roman Empire through Persia. However, the Kushans and Persia themselves hoped to monopolize the silk During this period, silk was already exported by caravans. King trade. Mu’s Journey described landscapes and events that occurred and were seen during the crossings made by a silk caravan to the The latter send a delegation to the Han court with gifts, incl. lion Western regions. This silk road was in the south of the Tarim and other animals. And after that the Kushans in 90 A.D., Basin in Central Asia, from where silk products reached Europe, proposed to enter into an inter-dynasty marriage with the Han the evidence of it can be found in the discovery of Chinese silk imperial family. clothing in Germany, near Stuttgart (dated to VI century BC). Findings of a huge number of Kushan and Roman coins along the Chapters II, III and IV of the book dedicated to the Great Silk Silk Road also allow us to conclude that trade relationships Road (Chinese scientists use the term “Silk Road”, without the between countries were revitalized. The History of Western Han prefix “great” adopted in Soviet Russian and Western is a book that contains facts about the embassy that operated historiography). under the imperial court of the Roman emperor in the 2nd century. He was sent gifts such as ivory, rhino horn, shells of Chapter II “The Silk Road” tells of the direct discovery of the Silk turtles and many other things that the Chinese themselves began Road by Zhang Qian.
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