The Silk Road

The Silk Road is a system routes that were used frequently for 2000 years for communication and trade among various states between China and Europe.

Named for the fact that silk was a major product being exported out of China into other parts of Eurasia, the Silk Road served as, not only a mode of transportations of goods, but also for sharing ideas between different cultures. As our Strayer text says, the spread of Buddhism is an excellent example of a cross-cultural connection.

Buddhism originated in India, then eventually spread by way of merchants and monks that would travel along the Silk Road and convert those that would listen to them and receive their message in cities along the way. After the religion became increasingly popular, monasteries were built along the routes in larger cities which then became multicultural hubs where learning and commerce flourished.

Not only did India share its culture and religion with surrounding regions via the Silk Road, but each culture injected its own unique ideas into Buddhism. Characteristics popular in Greek statues are seen in statues of the Buddha and many of the gods of cultures along the routes were eventually absorbed into the religion.