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What goods were traded along the Silk Road through Xinjiang?
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Xinjiang
Pagoda close to Tian Lake, Ürümqi, Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, China.
The Silk Road served as a vital conduit for commerce between the East and the West, passing through a series of oasis settlements in the Xinjiang region south of the Tien Shan mountains.1
The trade along this route was characterized by the exchange of various luxury goods:
- Chinese Exports: The primary commodity sent westward from China was silk.123
- Western Imports: In exchange, China received goods from the Roman world and other western regions, including gold, silver, glassware, and woolen cloth.123
Beyond physical merchandise, the Silk Road also facilitated the transmission of ideas and cultural elements, including the spread of Buddhism and Nestorian Christianity into China. While the route was essential for economic exchange, it also served as a pathway for the movement of diseases, such as the bacteria responsible for the Black Death.2