Banner Image: A painting depicting Chinese emperor Wu of the Jin dynasty (265-420 ad)
Political Interactions
"The people [of Ta-yuan] are permanent dwellers and given to agriculture; and in their fields they grow rice and wheat. They have wine made of grapes and many good horses. The horses sweat blood and come from the stock of the "heavenly horse." They have walled cities and houses; the large and small cities belonging to them, fully seventy in number, contain an aggregate population of several hundreds of thousands..."
-Zhag Qian, envoy of Emperor Wu-Di
Early Political Encounters
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During the Han Dynasty China faced increasing amounts of raids from a nomadic group known as the Xiongnu. However, upon the ascension of emperor Wu-Di to the throne, China faced many domestic and economic reforms, and was soon powerful enough to declare war upon the Xiongnu nomads.
"We hear from the envoy [the Chinese Emperor wrote] the great merit you have acquired by your military enterprises, in subjugating the nations; and in recognition of your arduous achievements I now beg to present you with a light figured lining imperial embroidered robe, a light long embroidered tunic, and a light variegated gown; also a golden hair comb, a gold ornamented waist-belt, and a buffalo-horn belt fastening; also ten pieces of twilled silk, thirty pieces of variegated silk, and forty pieces each of carnation satin and green silk." Political Diversity Flourishes Along the Silk RoadThe Silk Road extended for over 5,000 miles, connecting China, Byzantium and all the lands between. Because of this, it can be said that a large amount of political cooperation was made possible as a result of the Silk Road. The cross-continental trade required civilizations to either commune and cooperate with one another, or be cut off from the vital supply lines.
"This country (the Roman Empire) has more than four hundred smaller cities and towns. It extends several thousand li in all directions. The king has his capital (that is, the city of Rome) close to the mouth of a river (the Tiber). The outer walls of the city are made of stone." "During the 1st year of Yung-ning [120 C.E.] the king of the country of Shan, named Yung-yu-tiao, again sent an embassy who, being received to His Majesty's presence, offered musicians and jugglers...they said themselves: 'We are men from the west of the sea; the west of the sea is the same as Ta-ts'in [Roman Syria]. In the south-west of the country of Shan one passes through to Ta-ts'in.'" Tensions AriseHowever, despite the unifying aspects of the Silk Road, political tensions arose as well. During around 60 CE it became known that Chinese silk was spun by worms, and did not, in fact, grow on the trees of legend. This created unrest among the civilizations that had essentially been extorted by China's monopoly on the silk market.
"The country of Fu-lin [Byzantium], also called Ta-ts'in [Roman Syria], lies above the western sea [Indian Ocean]. In the southeast it borders on Po-si [Persia]. Its territory amounts to over 10,000 li. Of cities there are four hundred. Inhabited places are close together...There are twelve honorable ministers who conjointly regulate government matters. They ordinarily let a man take a bag and follow the king's carriage. When the people have a complaint they throw a written statement into the bag. When the king comes back to the palace he decides between right and wrong. Their kings are not permanent rulers, but they select men of merit." |
Wu-Di sought allies for the coming war, and dispatched Zhang-Qian to find and recruit the Yuezhi, a nomadic group that was an enemy of the Xiongnu. Although Zhang-Qian failed this task, he was successful in discovering numerous new territories and civilizations. His travels were essentially the pioneering elements for the expansion of the Silk Road.
"The people of this country are honest in business; they don't have two prices." 
A map depicting major Silk Road trade routes during different stages in China's Han Dynasty.
Byzantine emperor Justinian I grew tired of paying exorbitant sums to China, and therefore sent two agents, disguised as monks, to attempt to steal silkworm eggs. This plot succeeded, and thus the start of the Byzantine silk industry began. Upon the later collapse of the Han Dynasty, the Byzantine Empire closed its borders, as silk was already in its grasp.
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