Imperial Highway

ancient road system, China

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

China's Imperial Highway system, which began development under Emperor Shihuangdi around 220 BCE, was a significant ancient road network. Similar in purpose and time to the Persian Royal Road and Roman roads, it featured wide, stone-surfaced routes often lined with trees. In mountainous areas, stone-paved stairways facilitated travel. By 700 CE, this network had expanded to approximately 25,000 miles (40,000 km), with remnants still visible near Xi'an. This infrastructure was crucial for communication, administration, and trade within the vast empire.123

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China’s Imperial Highway
China had a road system that paralleled the Persian Royal Road and the Roman road network in time and purpose. Its major development began under Emperor Shihuangdi about 220 bce. Many of the roads were wide, surfaced with stone, and lined with trees;…
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China had a road system that paralleled the Persian Royal Road and the Roman road network in time and purpose. Its major development began under Emperor Shihuangdi about 220 bce. Many of the roads were wide, surfaced with stone, and lined with trees;…
Read More