The Value of Academic Study and Travel-Developing of the Silk Road Is Everlasting

During about 20 centuries after B.C.1000, the Silk Road, which was from ancient Xi'an, going west, to ancient India, ancient Persia, ancient Egypt, or going east, to ancient Korea, Japan, was a principal axis that exerted influence on the development of world history. During that time, following that way, a lot of diplomatic, economic and trade activities and cultural exchanges were conducted.
Shouldering the task of exchanging species and goods, the Silk Road, as well as diplomatic road, military road, religious road, national road and art road, made the ancient civilization charming and colorful by its abundant historical connotation.
Researchers highly praise the Silk Road. Just like the transmission of Buddhism into China, South Korea and Japan remolded the appearance of the traditional culture of these oriental countries, the spread of papermaking technology, printing and gunpowder to the West catalyzed the sprout of capitalism. In the past 100-odd years, therefore, the research of the Silk Road has brought about the extensive attention of scholars both at home and abroad. In recent years, the sightseeing tour to the Silk Road has aroused inexhaustible interest of people, both Oriental and Occidental.
Nowadays, the history of the Silk Road can enlighten people of all countries how to contact peacefully, to develop interactively and to create a bright future with joint hands. Therefore, we are sure that the Silk Road, which once brought culture and advancement of mankind, will be an ever-lasting historical topic and main route of journey forever.

Hu Ji
March 15th, 2002,
Xi'an, Shaanxi

Hu Ji, Han people, born in 1941,Shanghainese.From 1959 to 1967,he studied at History Department of Beijing University. He got a bachelor degree, then a master degree specializing in the history of Sui and Dynasties. In 1983, he becomes the directory of the Chinese Study of Tang Dynasty, then secretary-general and vice-president. Now, he is the professor and supervisor of PH·D candidates of the Institute of History and culture, Shaanxi .Normal University. He has written "A Narrative History of Dun Huang", "Turpan", "Collected Works of Hu Ji------the volume of the history of Sui and Tang Dynasties", "The Research of Tang Dynasty in the 20th century" and so on.

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