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The Silk Road was the main artery for business
and trade between China and the West. It
has played an important role in the exchanges
of cultural and trade-goods. As many people
already know, China's four major contributions
to civilization are papermaking, printing,
compass and gunpowder. They were introduced
to Western countries via the Silk Road.
In return, many aspects of Western civilization
that influenced Chinese society made their
way back along this road. The Silk Road
has been an indispensable instrument in
the opening up and developing of cross-cultural
friendship. Although modern society is no
longer dependent upon this ancient and time
consuming method of interaction, the history
and spirit of the Silk Road are still a
dream sought by tourists either from the
East or the West.
Along the Chinese section of the Silk Road,
there are numerous famous historic and cultural
sites. The best known is in Xi'an, where
the life-sized Terra-cotta Warriors and
Horses were excavated from sites near the
tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, known as
the eighth wonder of the world. Of the countless
other attractions, there are also Dunhuang's
Mogao Grottoes, sometimes called an "Oriental
Art Treasure".
Loulan was an ancient state in the desert
and houses the Ruins of the Ancient City
of Gaochang. The road also goes through
unique and magnificent natural surroundings,
such as Flaming Mountains and Grape Valley
in Turpan City, Yadan Landform in Lop Nor,
Birds Island in Qinghai Lake and Tianchi
Lake on Tianshan Mountain. These places
are very attractive to visitors.
In some areas along the Silk Road, there
are many ethnic minorities, including Uygur,
Hazak and Tajik people. They have great
hospitality and unique traditional cultures,
life styles, religious beliefs, songs and
dances. They add another dimension to the
charm of the Silk Road.
When the central government began developing
West China, they realized the tourist resources
in these regions were endless. The various
tourist facilities in the locality are improving
day by day, and there have been significant
advances in communications. As a result,
the Silk Road has become one of the most
attractive theme routes for tourists.
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