Silk Road Trade Network

Timeline

1. c. -200–200Hexi Corridor to the Western Regions · Hexi CorridorAfter Zhang Qian's missions to the Western Regions under Emperor Wu of Han, overland routes between the Central Plains, Central Asia, and West Asia gradually became institutionalized; the Hexi Corridor became the eastern hub, camel caravans crossed the Taklamakan Desert's northern and southern routes along oasis chains, and silk, jade, and horses began circulating across borders on a large scale.
2. c. 600–1200Chang'an–Samarkand corridor · SamarkandTang Chang'an and Song Kaifeng and Quanzhou linked land and sea routes, with Central Asian cities like Samarkand becoming transshipment centers; besides silk, spices, porcelain, paper, and religious ideas spread along the routes, forming a multi-ethnic, multi-currency composite trade network.
3. c. 1211–1220Central Asian steppe–North China trade route · Central AsiaBetween 1211 and 1220 Mongol forces expanded rapidly and integrated Eurasian overland routes; caravans could cross formerly divided zones under imperial order and the postal relay system, bringing overland trade to new heights of security and speed, laying the foundation for Eurasian commercial integration in the 13th–14th centuries.
4. 1800Eurasian land bridge · EurasiaIn the 19th century competition from railways and sea transport caused traditional camel caravan routes to decline, but the historical memory of the Silk Road as a transcontinental transport and cultural corridor endures; contemporary initiatives such as the Belt and Road have reactivated the concept of overland connectivity, with rail and road freight as new carriers.