Review Of Susan Whitfield’s Book “Life Along The Silk Road”
Silk Roads are considered to be one of major arteries of global trade. But the term fails to explain its impact on the individual. This is because the subject is far too complicated and vague. The term includes the movement of goods and services (tangible or intangible), ideologies, and any other kind of good through trans-Eurasian trade routes. The first exchanges began in the 1st millennium BC. However, they were not restricted to any particular time period or generation. Trade is still carried out through the exact same routes. Globalization has also increased the effect of this exchange.
Susan Whitfield has been a professor and librarian in the United States and abroad for over 30 years. She has access to relics such as artifacts from the Silk Road, manuscripts and arts. Whitfield uses the records she has collected to chronicle and connect snapshots from characters who lived along different parts of the Silk Road. These stories cover communication, transport, goods, service, peoples, religions, disease, technology and culture, as well as conflict, diplomacy. The stories also provide different perspectives and accounts of how it was to interact with Silk Road. Whitfield gives a glimpse into the history of Afro-Eurasian interconnectedness through this book.
Life Along the Silk Road describes tangible goods such as teas, furs and livestock, or metals used for currency, armor and currency. It also includes stories about jade, precious stones and metals. People exchanged resources and goods that they had a specialization in for other items they needed or wanted. These routes were used by humans to spread ideologies such as religions, politics, technology, fashions, etc. Paper making, for example, allowed the production and distribution of books and almanacs that contained worlds of geography and philosophy. The ability to communicate and exchange goods with neighbors that have unique technologies and goods was seen as the greatest intangible.
Geographical and political obstacles were major factors in the development of the routes. Some routes, although shorter in length, were extremely dangerous. They encouraged travelers to follow longer or uncharted paths. Some terrains were major obstacles. If the route was going to cross into another country, then parties had to rely on diplomacy to pass through, either through trade bribes, other deals, or strategic means such as military exports and scouts. The natural resources played a major role. They had to find water at some points, and game in others. The culture, goods, and technologies from other worlds influenced people everywhere, even in small amounts.
The Princess’s Tale shows the conditions of a Chinese-Turkish alliance through flashbacks to 821 Chang’an. The Princess’s Tale tells the story of her journey, which included stories about Nisean equines collected from Kashmir Gandhara Arabia. Chang’an had to trade exclusively with Uyghurs after the best horses were brought from Ferghana. The Chinese military was dependent on Uygurs to supply calvary horse and Uygur strength. As per tradition, Taihe, the Imperial princess, would take Yongan, her elder sister’s place, to marry an Uygur Khagan in a peaceful marriage. She traveled with her entourage, Uygur horsesmen, Chinese officials, to give the new office insignia to the new Khagan. Camels carried gifts and provisions for convoy.
This journey would also demonstrate some of dangers when travelling on the Silk Road. The large caravan would require much more time than ponies to cover the over 1,000 mile distance. The caravan would need to stop in order to accommodate people and the varied needs of herds. This would only increase the danger of hostile forces, like Tibetan Raiders and resource depletion.
Taihe came, married Khogans and Chinese Uygurs, and they lived together for 2 years until he died. After her husband’s death, she chose Uygur as a place to live and see the new Khogan take power. Uygur leaders lost control over the land as the capital was weakening and could not repel enemies. Taihe was in danger and had to be smuggled via the Silk Road into the territory of the emperor to stay safe. The Courtesan’s Tale unfolded. The tale of Larishka, the courtesan’s daughter, began with music. Kuchean music began to spread throughout the world. From China, it reached Japan and Korea.
This song and dance were sold and purchased along the Silk Road. The Kuchean is still mixed with elements from other cultures. Larishka specialized in playing the Kuchean Lutèce. She and Kucha, her hometown, were very familiar with Uygurs who had been stationed as part of a King’s request to help and control the surrounding areas. Larishka’s career was mainly supported by these nobles and soldiers. A general took an interest in Larishka when she performed for them.
Larishka was captured by soldiers and sold into slavery to serve them. Larishka was never able to settle down and was constantly moved around. She was eventually sold to a “stepmother”, for whom she worked as a courtesan in Chang’an, where she spent nearly 20 years. After watching rebels destroy and slaughter the city to challenge the imperial powers, leading to the change in the dynasty of China and the emperor, Larishka fled to Kucha. Kucha has changed dramatically since she left. Uygur influence is more pronounced in the arts, religions, cultures, and militaries. We are then transported to Isfahan 903, a city that is a mixture of art, religion, culture and military.
The Writer’s Tale grew out of the collision of two cities containing different Jewish-Arab cultures. Isfahan had many rulers and new technology, including paper production and silk production, thanks to the change of empires. His city preferred roses to board games imported directly from India. However, these were altered and tweaked during their stopover in Persia. Ahmad is usually found playing chess in the bathhouse or over a game. The writer listened and told his story of traveling with fur-traders to the North. Ahmad’s tale showed the Rus fur trader wearing precious metals and gemstones they had collected through raids or trading with distant lands. The deal involved furs, ambers, armors, silvers, slaves, and lands that stretched from the Caspian to India and Gorgon through interfaith relationships with Arabs.
Due to their frequent conflicts with the Khazars (the owners of the waterways), the Rus rowers would seek ways to avoid the Khazars. Some even took longer, more difficult routes that extended into Europe. Ahmad’s trip was safe, allowing him to see a world that is more colorful and diverse. These expeditions also spread their research and lessons, which were adopted by others. Calendrical learning was like all the other influences on Silk Road. In China, this knowledge helped legitimize leaders and societies through the use of manifestations. In Chang’an when the Tang Dynasty took power, they monopolized calendar production to keep track of their role in politics and collect sales income. Almanacs continued to be made and sold in all places, even though private distribution was banned. This included the monastery where Zhai Fengda had studied.
The Official’s tale describes how Feng’s father sent him to a Buddhist elementary school because he thought he might become a senior government official. Feng was forced to become a clerk after the Tang dynasty collapsed. Feng’s classroom almanacs, poetry and other works inspired him to continue creating his own. Feng, who had been promoted to the rank of “Erudite of the Classics of Dunhuang Prefecture”, created his calendar after landing a job as an administrator in the army. Feng’s legacy today is his almanac as well as a number of manuscripts, which he had commissioned for his wife. The story he tells is of China’s diminishing influence on the Silk Road and the spread Buddhism.
These stories are based on composite or fictitious stories. This means they were compiled from the experiences of multiple Silk Road travelers. History isn’t written chronologically. The pieces of history are a mixture of stories, legends, pictures, artwork, poetry, artifacts and letters. Some records do not include the details of how people viewed and understood the world. As the book is a history of a very long time, it may contain inconsistencies due to the changes in technology and regimes. The academic historians needed to complete the puzzle by bringing all the fragments together.
The details will help us to better understand the stories and adventures of the characters. We can learn or remember strategies and reactions in dealing with historical environments. This will help us to feel more connected. It not only connects you with history and historical characters, but it also relates to the cultures that still exist or are influenced by historic ideas. It explains relations between states as well as the evolution of politics. The fictional collection was designed to bring all of these fragments into a cohesive, memorable, and relatable whole. The book Life Along the Silk Road brings to life the stories and introduces new worlds.
