In 200AD the first transcontinental route linked the Roman Empire in the West with the imperial court of China. Trade along the route was carried on by foreign traders who belonged of the two old empires. The route was called the Silk Road. Before the discovery of the sea road to India, the Silk Road was the most important connection between the East and West. It experienced its last great era during the time of the Mongol Empire. This ancient trade route starts in the old capitals of Luoyang and Xian, reaches the Yellow River at Lanzhou, then squirts westward along deserts and mountains before dividing into three routes at the oasis of Dunhuang. The great part of the Silk Road threads its way through Xinjiang. Ancient travellers left behind many historical records and valuable relics.

Silk that was favoured by Romans and Persians inaugurated the trade along the Silk Road. The Romans loved silk so much that they even exchanged silk for its weight in gold. The fall of the Han Dynasty in the early 3^rd century once caused Silk Road trade to decline. However, the rise of the Tang dynasty in the 7^th century revived this commerce and by the mid 8^th century, the route reached its height.

With the spreading of various religions in the world range, more and more missionaries reached the East in succession by the Silk Road. With the Silk Road acting as an information superhighway, the exchange of ideas grew to a larger scale than ever before. And as a result, the Tang dynasty fortunately experienced the best flourishing period of the Silk Road.

The fall of the Tang dynasty in the early 10^th century gave a deathblow to the trade on the Silk Road. The trade on the road declined sharply till the 13^th century, when the conquests of the Mongols ushered in an era of frequent and extended contacts between East and West. This increased contact created a demand for Asian goods in Europe, a demand that eventually inspired the search for a sea route to Asia.

The discovery of the sea route from Europe to Asia in the late 15^th century dealt a damaging blow to the Silk Road again. With less cost, harassment and danger, many goods and materials that the Silk Road could not transfer were conveyed through the sea route. Besides, the Persians had mastered the art of sericulture and the import of the silk from the East was reduced. Since then, the prosperous Silk Road was on its downhill. The busting streets, wealthy cities and solid ramparts now were submerged in the vast desert, and today, people can only trace their splendid history in the endless ruined and dilapidated remains.