On the Grassland Silk Road: National Economy Communication and Integration

In 1877, the german geographer relay station called the Stone Tower (tashkurgan). As

Ferdinand Von Richthofen (1833-1905) first for Sera, Richthofen inferred that it was Chang’an in

transported silk from China to Rome and called the China but should actually be Luoyang, the capital

road the “Silk Road”. Since then, the “Silk Road” of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Richthofen was keenly

concept has been widely used in various fields of aware that the road used by Phoenician traders was

economic and cultural exchanges between the East and probably not the only or even the most important

the West and has been recorded in many ancient books route of silk trafficking in the Eastern and Western

and documents and spread to the present day. In the worlds. Thus, in his conception, “Silk Road” should

first volume of his book, entitled “China: Ergebnisse be plural “Sererstrassen” or “Seidenstrassen”. However,

eigener Reisen un darauf gegründeter Studien” according to the narrative of “China”, Richthofen’s

(China: Results of my own travels and studies based discussion focused on transportation routes in inland

on them), published in 1877, Von Richthofen first Asia, and the origin and destination of the Silk Road

explicitly put forward the concept of “Seidenstrassen” seem to follow the account of Marinus.

(“Silk Road”). Richthofen’s silk road concept was The Silk Road is an important road for exchanges

based on classical Greek and Roman writers such as between the East and the West. In particular, it is

Claudius Ptolemaeus and Marinus. Classical writers an important road for political, economic, trade,

transliterated the Chinese character for silk as Ser and religious, and cultural exchanges between China

called China Seres. Richthofen created Sererstrasse by and the West. It is also one of the most famous trade

combining the plural of Ser, Serer, with the German routes connecting China and the rest of the world.

word for road, Strasse, and Seidenstrasse in its modern The Silk Road is generally divided into the overland

German interpretation. So when Richthofen first Silk Road and the maritime Silk Road. The overland

called the Silk Road Sererstrasse, it meant “the road Silk Road was also divided into the southern, middle,

to the silk land.” Marinus records that in the second and northern routes. The southern route was a tea

century, a Phoenician merchant named Maes Titianus trade route from Tibet on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

and his men set out from the crossing of the Euphrates to Yunnan and Hubei, also called the Southern Silk

River to reach Sera, the capital of silk, through a Road or the “Ancient Tea Horse Road”. The middle

Hexi Corridor (Chang’an is Xi’an). (Map: BRIQ)

route, also known as the Gobi Silk Road, starts from to the Black Sea which is one of the earliest roads across

Chang’an, passes Dunhuang along the Hexi Corridor, the steppes of northern Europe and Asia. In his great

and extends westward to Rome. The northern route is work “History”, Herodotus described the extent of the

the Grassland Silk Road. road, the territory it passed through, and the economic

and trade conditions along the way. This is the earliest The Origin of the Grassland Silk Road written record of the Grassland Silk Road. According

The Grassland Silk Road is the oldest trade road to his records and other archaeological findings, the

among Mongolian steppe roads. After establishing Grassland Silk Road was the earliest trade road in the

the Mongol Empire, a grassland trade road centered Silk Road. From the traces left in the tombs of Xiongnu

on the Karakorum was formed. During the Yuan during the Warring States Period in Hangjin Banner

Dynasty, the Grassland Silk Road was an important and Tumed Banner of Inner Mongolia, during the

link between the Gobi Silk Road and the Maritime Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States

Silk Road. Since the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Period, Chinese silk goods were transported to the

as the Mongolian merchants entered the region to do North by this trade road, from here to the West.

business, grassland trade routes were formed in all Historically, due to political reasons, the routes

directions. and regions of the Grassland Silk Road also changed

The full name of the Grassland Silk Road is “The and migrated with the rise and fall of various ethnic

Silk Road connecting Eurasia”, which covers an area of groups. During the Han and Tang dynasties, the road

about 50 degrees north latitude. It takes the Mongolian was mainly controlled by the Xiongnu and Turks.

plateau of Hiramulun as its origin, crosses the Xing’an During Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the four

Mountains, and follows the North Yinshan Road counties of Hexi were established and the Silk Road

westward across the Juyanhai and Tianshan Mountains of Tarim Basin in Hexi Corridor was officially opened.

After the Xiongnu withdrew from the Hexi Corridor, Puguan, Taiyuan, Zhenwu (northwest of present-day

they continued to operate the silk trade in the central Inner Mongolia Horinger), Zhongshouxiangcheng

plains. At the same time, they created a new Mobei City (about the vicinity of present-day Jagger

Shanyuting, along Hangai Mountain in the west, Banner Temple in Inner Mongolia), crossed Yinshan

through Hovd Basin, through Altai Mountain, along Mountain, and passed present-day Uniwusu to the

the Ulungur River in the southwest to Tacheng and Wula Sea area to the Road of Karabalsagun, an ancient

then straight to the Taras River region. During the Sui Uighur village. It is generally believed that the western

and Tang dynasties, the grassland road continued to section traveled northwest along the northern ridge

extend and develop, and commercial trade became of Hangai Mountain from the Uighur Khar Balgas,

more prosperous and flourishing. Yusuf Hass Hajifu crossed the Altai Mountains, followed the southeast of

(c. 1010 ~ 1092), a famous Uyghur poet, thinker the Junggar Basin, and then turned and went west along

and political activist, said in his book “The Wisdom the northern ridge of Tianshan Mountain to reach

of Happiness”: “They have been trading from east to Beiting. According to the Mongolian chronicle, there

west and have brought you the goods you need. To were two routes from Uliasutai to Xinjiang, Hami and

make the Chinese merchants cut down the flag of the Zhenxi (now Balikun). The route to Zhenxi diverges

caravanserai, where will the millions of treasures come from the route to Hami at Boleho on the north bank of

from?” (Zhang, 1995: 30). Uliasutai, and slant to the southwest, passing through

the Altai Mountains, Khuzhetu, Bornuru, Almokga,

Historically, due to political Kulingai Huduk, Dharanzolet, Tamuchendaba Pass,

reasons, the routes and regions Garshwin, etc. And south into Xinjiang to reach

of the Grassland Silk Road also Zhenxi (Yao, 1907: 37). Of course, the names of the

changed and migrated with the rise places may have changed due to the different times,

but at that time, it is estimated that the route from and fall of various ethnic groups. Karabalahasun to Beiting was via this route, instead of going farther to Kebudo or Hami. As you can see,

The “Anshi Rebellion” in the 14th year of Tang the Uighur Road connects important towns and other

Tianbao (755) left Hexi empty of arms. Tubo nobles commercial roads on the steppe.

took the opportunity to invade and occupy most of After the Mongol Empire was established, it

Hexi Longyou, controlling the Silk Road, the traditional conquered the Eurasian continent and connected the

trunk line of transportation between east and west, east-west passage. The Northern Steppe Road became

cutting off the central plains from the Western regions. an important link connecting the two continents, and

To maintain the political and economic connection several important trade roads were built and formed. In

between the central plains and the western regions, the the Yuan Dynasty, with the formation of a unified country

Tang Dynasty had to take the route of the Uighur Road, of various ethnic groups with vast territory, a network of

which is historically known as the “Hui-Hui Road”. commercial roads connected in all directions. Generally

The “Uighur Road” referred to here is centered on speaking, the Mongolian area has three horizontal and

Karabalsagun, where Uighur Khar Balgas was located, nine vertical trade roads.

mainly divided into the southern and western sections. In the “Three Crosses” from Chang’an, South Road

The southern section started from Chang ‘an, passing crosses the Altai Mountains to the Western regions via

B R I q • Volume 3 Issue 4 Autumn 2022

The road map of the “ancient tea-horse road”, which is the southern route of the Silk Road. (China Daily, 2013China Daily (2013). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.)

Horinger and Uliasutai. This is the “Uighur Road” are:

mentioned above. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was called (1) The trade route from Hailar to Russia via

“Mu Lin Dao”. Some famous figures mainly traveled Manchuria;

Uighur Road through Uighur Road, such as Taoist (2) The trade road from Doron to Kuron through

spiritual master Qiu Chuji, Yeru Chucai, and Changde. Jingpeng;

The middle line starts from Dadu and Shangdu and (3) Zhangku Avenue; and

reaches the Western regions via Kharahorin, which (4) The commercial road from Guihua city to

can be said to be the route taken by Marco Polo. The Kulun.

northern route is from eastern Inner Mongolia to the These trade routes brought an endless supply of

western regions via Lake Baikal and the upper reaches silk, tea, agricultural products, and daily handicrafts

of the Yenisei River through forests. This is a silk road to the north, while “mountains” of woolen fabrics and

formed by the peoples of the northern grassland and all kinds of precious furs came from the south. This

the so-called “golden Road” of the northern route. south to north and west to east of the grassland road

The “three horizontal lines” can also be summarized: are silk roads and fur roads. Therefore, the Grassland

the north line is the forest road, the middle line is the Silk Road has many names, such as “Fur Road”, “Gold

grassland road, and the south line is the Gobi road. The Road”, “Tea Road”, “Camel Road”, “Nalin Road”, “Tieli

most important trade routes in the “nine longitudinal” Road”, and “Mulin road”.

Famous Roads on the Grassland Silk Road Kiev - Kaniv. Kiev was the capital of Kyivan Rus’ at

that time, and Kaniv was a town under the direct rule There were many famous roads along the Grassland Silk of the Mongols. In the middle of the road, there was Road, which also formed famous trade roads. Its formaa dangerous road near Kyivan Rus’. With the help of tion was connected either with the messengers, monks,

and merchants who traveled through it or with the com- the officials, Carpini changed horses and reached the

modities that were trafficked through it. Mongolian territory safely.

Kaniv - Kuoliancha Station. From Kaniv, Carpini passed through another town and arrived at the first Tatar camp, which was a checkpoint on the Mongolian border, There were already several roads as corresponding to the border post at Kuoliancha.

leading from the west to the east Kuoliancha Station - Badu Ordo. Carpini left

through Mongolia, and John John Kuoliancha and travelled day and night, but he reached

of Plano Carpini, advised by the Badu Ordo in eight days.

King of Bothnia, chose to go to Badu Ordo - Wulerti. He left the Badu Station

Mongolia through Poland and and crossed the desert, past the Kangli camp, across

Kyivan Rus’. the Musuman country, into the Territory of the Black

Khitans, and then arrived at the city built by the Tartars.

Poland-Tartar Road Wulerti - Guiyou Station. He went through Walta to

Ordo, the first Ordo of Guiyou Khan. He went through “Poland-Tartar Road” is the famous traveler Giovanni the land of the Naiman people and entered Mongolia, da Pian del Carpine’s (John of Plano Carpini) road from arriving at Jin Ordo, the residence of Guiyou. John of Poland to Tartar Mongolia through Kyivan Rus’ (Роусь), Plano Carpini returned from Guiyou station - Badu which is called “Po-Tartar Road” for short. This is also station - Kuoliancha station - Kiev, following the same how John of Plano Carpini traveled to Mongolia and back, way back. This basic information about the Polishso it can also be called Carpini’s road. There were already Tartary Road can be obtained from his records: several roads leading from the west to the east through Firstly, he set out from Kiev on February 3, 1246, Mongolia, and John John of Plano Carpini, advised by the and arrived at Guiyou Station on July 22. A total of 169 King of Bothnia, chose to go to Mongolia through Poland days. He returned on November 13 departure on winter and Kyivan Rus’. According to the History of Mongolia, roads. From here, we can see that the road is about three which he wrote after his mission to Mongolia, we can get months ‘ride away. a rough outline of the road. Secondly, his journeys were all winter journeys, so Poland - Kyivan Rus’. At that time, there were more that from his records we can learn the basics of winter frequent contacts between the upper echelons of Poland travel. “All the winter we were on the road, sleeping on and Kyivan Rus’, and there were many towns and cities the snow in the desert, except when we could dig out on the roads between the two countries. Passports were with our feet. On treeless open plains, we often wake issued to incoming and outgoing emissaries, and places up to find our bodies completely covered in windswept were notified of food and informed about the provision snow.” (Dawson, 1983: 68). of food. So, John of Plano Carpini had a relatively smooth Thirdly, at that time, there were two ways to travel, by ride. horseback and by carriage. When riding on horseback,

Map showing Marco Polo's route to the Far East. (CGTN, 2017CGTN (2017). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.)

local and Mongolian horses are generally replaced. “If we ride others from Poland and Austria, Michler from Genoa from

our horses into a Tatar area, they will all die because there Constantinople, Bartholomew and Manuel from Venice,

was deep snow, our horses don’t dig grass out from under James of Arkle, Revilius, Nikolay, Pisani, etc.” (Dawson,

the snow to eat like the Tartars’ horses do, and we can’t find 1983: 72). This shows that many Western merchants came

any other feed to feed the horses, because the Tartars had no to Mongolia through Russia for commercial trade, and there

straw, hay or fodder.” (Dawson, 1983: 51). were also a lot of emissaries and officials with a huge caravan

Fourthly, emissaries, merchants and other travellers or a lot of followers. Therefore, western travelers at that time

must obtain passports and be escorted as they pass through not only undertook political, cultural and religious missions

different parts of the country. but also undertook the mission of material and cultural

Fifthly, there were dangerous places on the road, such as exchange.

the attack of the Woorus on passers-by. The road is basically divided into five sections, starting in

Sixthly, he deliberately recorded Mongolian officials at all neighboring countries and ending in the Mongol Empire; In

levels extorting gifts. It was actually a Mongolian means of the middle through the Mongolian occupation area, direct

exchange. It was the same with emissaries and other travellers, rule area and nomadic area. It can be seen that the Mongol

depending on the size and value of your gifts. For merchants Empire was directly connected with the western countries

and business travelers, even more gifts were taken. through its ruling region.

Seventhly, his records also reported that the articles owned Taoist Spiritual Master’s Road by the Mongol emperor at that time included not only oriental

silk goods but also western jewelry, which indicated that the “Taoist spiritual master’s Road” is Chang Chun Taoist

Karakorum and other towns in the hinterland of Mongolia spiritual master westbound itinerary. In spring 1221,

had become the trade center of the East and the West. Qiuchuji, Chang Chun Taoist spiritual master, was ordered

Eighthly, he provides much information about business to travel west. He set out from Yanjing, crossed Yehuling

people. He mentioned many merchants: “Some from Frativia, mountain in the north, followed the Tieligan Station Road,

Chaghatai Houwang Fiefdom Post Road, and the Persian historical records. They lived in the Altai Mountains, a region

Road. Through hardships and dangers, he interviewed famous for its gold production, which led the ancient Greeks

Genghis Khan on the Great Snow Mountain (now the Hindu to mythically refer to the local Altai tribes as the “gryphon

Kush Mountain in Afghanistan) in April 1222. He returned to guardians of gold” (Zhang, 1994: 74).

the east in 1223, along the Cantian Khan Road, Jienalin road, In Mongolian, gold is called “Alita” or “Alata”, and the place

via Yijinai road, Tiande, Dongsheng, Datong Road, Xuande where there is gold is called “Alatatai”. The so-called Altai

House, Juyongguan to Dadu. This is a relatively convenient Mountain means “mountain of gold” in Mongolian. The Altai

grassland road formed earlier, and it is also one of the many region was an important gateway of the grassland Silk Road

commercial roads formed later on the Mongolian grassland. in ancient times. The main commodity going west through

We call it “Changchun Taoist spiritual master’s Road” or the ancient Altai road is gold. Scythians were engaged in

“Taoist spiritual master’s Road” for short. gold trading on this ancient road. Therefore, this section of

the grassland Silk Road is also called the “Gold Road”. There Marco Trail are three grassland commercial roads connecting the golden

The first volume of The Travels of Marco Polo is titled Road: One is from the Guihua city, passing through the areas

“Account of Regions Visited or Heard of On the Journey of Hasatu, Laobiao Temple and Santang Lake to Balikun,

from the Lesser Armenia to the Court of the Great Khan at and finally to the southern road of the Altai Commercial

Shangtu” (Komroff, 2002: xxxiii), where he mainly recorded Road. The second one is from Ulyasutai through Balikun

the situation of the countries and regions he passed along and finally arrives at the middle commercial road of Altai

the way. Starting from Lesser Armenia, he passed through steppe. The third one is the northern steppe trade route from

twelve countries including Greater Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Hovd, which connects to the Altai East Road through Dalai

Persia, Qiran, Shacha, Tanggute, and Siliang, recording forty- Lake. Therefore, Altai Golden Road is a mysterious road that

one regions or towns along the way to the Mongol Empire’s integrates grassland road, gobi road, waterway and forest

Kharakhorin, Shangdu and finally to the city of Khanbari road.

City (Dadu). During his stay in China, he traveled to Dadu, Tea Road Taiyuan, Xi‘an, Chengdu, Xizang, Yunnan and other regions.

He returned from the Maritime Silk Road and recorded the The Tea Road is another new international trade road

local conditions and customs of the seven big countries and emerging in Eurasia after the decline of the world-famous Silk

forty-one regions or towns he passed through on his return. Road. As a trade road, although it was opened more than

Therefore Marco Polo was the only traveler who traveled the 1,000 years later than the Silk Road, in terms of its

entire Gobi Silk Road, Grassland Silk Road and maritime Silk economic significance and huge cargo of goods, the

Road. The road he traveled when he came to China was an Silk Road cannot be compared with it.

important one in the steppe Silk Road connecting east and China is the country of origin of tea. As early as

West. We call it the “Marco Polo Trail”, the “Marco Trail” for the 6th century, tea became an export product. By

short. the 17th century, China’s brick tea cultivated a stable

and large consumer group in Russia and Europe. The Golden Road The brick and black teas imported to Russia came

Herodotus mentioned a Scythian people who migrated from southern China and were run by businessmen

to the far east after fighting against the Scythian royal family from Shanxi, a non-tea-producing province. Shanxi

in his masterpiece History, called the Sairen in Chinese merchants, commonly known as “Jin merchants”,

Shangdu, the capital of the Yuan Dynasty was a place where merchants from all over the world traded, and was also the commercial center of the northern grassland area at that time. Map showing the main and classical route the western merchants taking from Europe to Asia in ancient times. (CGTN, 2017CGTN (2017). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.)

bought tea in the Jiangnan tea area. The tea business Petersburg, Moscow and London. This is the basic

expanded beyond its borders, and the tea road was overview of the Tea Road.

extended. At first, Jin merchants mainly bought tea The total length of the Tea Road is about 5,150

from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian province and processed kilometers, including about 4,500 kilometers in China

it locally into tea bricks. Later, the tea was transported from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian province to Kiakhtu, a

from Hunan and Hubei by water to Hankou and trading city on the China-Russia border. Guihua City

then transported to Xiangfan. After that, the tea was is the starting point of the famous tea road in the east.

landed in boats and transported by vehicles carried by It is a famous shopping mall and a unique city of Ten

livestock. The tea was transported by Tanghe river and Thousand Camels. Its counterpart is the Siberian city of

Sheqi in Henan and then crossed the Yellow River from Irkutsk, which sits on the shores of Lake Baikal. It was a

Luoyang. Through Jincheng, Changzhi, Taiyuan, Tatong gathering place for Russian merchants who specialized

to Zhangjiakou, the “East Exit” on the Great Wall, or in trade with China.

from Shahukou in northern Shanxi, the “Western From 1692, when Peter the Great sent the first

Exit” of the Great Wall into Guihua City (present-day caravan to Beijing, to 1905, when the Trans-Siberian

Hohhot) in Inner Mongolia, then the camel caravan Railway opened, the commercial road flourished for

of Jin merchants from the brigade to Mongolia more than 200 years. Finally, with the decline of Jin

crossed the vast steppes and deserts and traveled merchants, it was gradually abandoned.

more than a thousand kilometers, finally arriving at The tea road in the East started from the provinces

the Russian-Chinese border crossing at Chakotou for south of the Yangtze River where tea was produced, and

trading. Russian merchants then trafficked to Siberian its western terminus is the historic city of St. Petersburg

Irkutsk, Urals, Tyumen and other areas, leading to St. in Europe. The grassland trade road from the Guihua

city to Kiakhtu is the most important section of the tea Qiutao of the Qing Dynasty, “In the year of Kangxi, the

road. Therefore, the tea road can be understood as the first exchange market was set up in Kulun”. Zhang-Ku

extension of the grassland trade road to the east, west, Commercial Road should have existed since the Kang-

north, and south. Xi period. Later, Zhangku Avenue shows the expansion

and smooth road with huge freight volume. Historically, there were three roads from

It seems that world history Zhangjiakou to Kulun: One was the middle road,

experts have identified this starting from Zhangjiakou, landing at Hannuoba, going

trade road. In July 2005, China’s through Zhangbei (Xinghe), Xianghuangqi, Saihan

State Administration of Cultural (Pang River, East and West Sunite banner), Erlian,

Heritage announced that the Silk Zamunwud, Zhalin to Ulan Bator, and then extending

to Kiaktu and Moscow in Russia. This is the main road, Road would be declared a World and most caravans use it. cultural heritage site, including the The second is the East Road, which starts from

Grassland Silk Road. Zhangjiakou and climbs Chongli Fifty Family Dam.

After arriving at the dam, take zhangbeidahulun,

Zhangku Avenue Guyuan niuhulun, Yanghulun Nine-Link City and

Taipusi Banner, cross Hunshandak desert, cross

In 1989, 1990 and 1992, UNESCO sent three Huitengliang and Huiteng River, go deep into Backgrass

delegations to study the “Overland Silk Road”, Beizi Temple (Ximeng) or run to Erlian to return to the

“Maritime Silk Road”, and “Grassland Silk Road”, middle road, or continue to transit north through east

among which Zhangku Avenue is a section of the and west Wuzhumuqin, to Qiaoba mountain and Ahai

grassland Silk Road. It seems that world history experts banner in the Khan Department of Chechnya, it can

have identified this trade road. In July 2005, China’s also go deep into Russia’s Chita . There were relatively

State Administration of Cultural Heritage announced few caravans taking this road.

that the Silk Road would be declared a World cultural The third is the northwest Road, starting from

heritage site, including the Grassland Silk Road. Zhang- Zhangjiakou, boarding Shenweitai dam, Zhangbei,

Ku Trade Road is the continuation of the ancient Silk Mantou Ying, Santaiba, Daqinggou, Shangdu,

Road; an ancient trade road revived in Eurasia after the Fengzhen, to Guihua City (today’s Hohhot) area or

decline of the grassland Silk Road. west to Xinjiang, or north to Ulyasutai, Kebuduo, can

Zhang-Ku Avenue is a trade route from Zhangjiakou also turn from this road to Kulun. There were also

to Kulun (now Ulan Bator), a city in the hinterland of many caravans along this road, but most just carried

Mongolian grassland. A large number of historical their goods to the city.

documents prove that Zhangku Commercial Road is Zhang-Ku Avenue covers 12 leagues of Inner

not a commercial road built for the need of establishing Mongolia and Outer Mongolia, more than 150 banners

a city, but a long history of the continuous evolution and some areas related to Mongolia include Dorenol,

of the commercial road, only because the city was Xilingol, Hulunbuir, Ulanqab, Chahar and Zhaowuda,

established in Kulun in the Kangxi period, Zhangku Guihua, Baotou, YiKeZhao, Alxa, Egina and outer

commercial Road has the name. According to He Mongolia Chechen Khan of Khalkha, Tuxietuhan,

Kulun, Ulyasutai, Tangnuwuliang sea, Hovd and here for political, economic and trade reasons. The Xiguan

northern Xinjiang and Talbahatai region. Zhangku of the Shang Capital of the Yuan Dynasty was a place where

Avenue also radiates to most areas on the southern merchants from all over the world traded, and was also the

border of Russia, such as Kiaktu, Irkutsk, Chita, Dinsk, commercial center of the northern grassland area at that time.

and even affects Moscow, the political and economic The Journey of Marco Polo not only introduced court life and

center of Russia. etiquette of the Shang Capital of the Yuan Dynasty but also

In short, when we combine the ancient trade road, the living habits of the Mongolian nationality. It also introdu-

post road and Zhangku Road from the Central Plains ces that envoys, monks, craftsmen and merchants from India,

to the Mongolian steppe, we will find that the trade road Burma (now Myanmar) and Nepal (now Nepal) have all come

extending between the mountains and fields always blends to Yuanshangdu. The ancient city of Jining Road was once a

with the post road and post station in history, intentionally or forum of the Yuan Dynasty. It was an important commodity

unintentionally. Sometimes we don’t know whether the trade distribution center in the northern grassland area and an im-

road is following the post road or the post road is following portant link of trade and commerce between the northern

the trade road. grassland area and the Central Plains area. These ancient met-

ropolises were important witnesses of economic and cultural Conclusion: The Great Influence of the exchanges among the grassland nationalities. Grassland Silk Road The Grassland Silk Road Promoted Cultural According to environmental archaeology data, only between Change Among Northern Nomads 40 and 50 degrees north latitude in Eurasia is conducive to

east-west communication, and this area happens to be grass- Northern nomads generally moved west when their power

land. The steppe of northern China lies right on the Eurasian declined. The reasons for its westward migration are: Firstly,

steppe belt. The steppe corridor connects Central Asia and the eastward journey to the sea is not conducive to further

Eastern Europe to the west and leads to central China to the survival, and there are obstacles for the development of new

southeast. It can be seen that the grassland area in north Chi- nations; Secondly, the development of the south was blocked

na played an important role in the ancient east-west transpor- by the Central Plains dynasty, so the nomadic economy could

tation routes in China and even in the world. The Grassland not adapt to the agricultural production and lifestyle of the

Silk Road originally referred to the trade channel connecting Central Plains, and did not fit in with the agricultural eco-

China and the West, but the cultural exchange and collision nomy; The third is the desert steppe to the north, which is

caused by trade are inevitable. The Grassland Silk Road is not not conducive to better survival. So, the only way to expand

only the channel of cultural exchange, but also the key road of westward was along the Steppe Silk Road.

cultural exchange inside and outside the Great Wall. The Xiongnu split into two parts, North and South, in

48 AD. The Southern Xiongnu joined the Han Dynasty. The The Grassland Silk Road Contributed to the Rise of northern Xiongnu moved west to Wusun and then to Kangju. Grassland International Cities The southern Xiongnu had cultural changes due to its contact

In the northern grassland region of China, Liaoshang- with the Central Plains, while the northern Xiongnu had cul-

jing, Liaozhongjing, Yuanshang city, and Jining Road were tural changes due to its contact with the Central Asian nati-

all international metropolises formed in Liao and Yuan dy- ons in Kangju. In the Western Liao dynasty, which was ruled

nasties. At that time, emissaries and merchants of Western by a political power for more than 80 years, The Han culture

countries and China’s Central Plains dynasty concentrated of Confucianism, Chinese language and characters, central

Plains laws and regulations and production mode became school in Mongolian, and their production and life style are

the constituent elements of khitan culture. The khitan cultu- completely the same with the local Mongolian. A similar situ-

re greatly influenced its westward migration to Central Asia, ation was found among ethnic Russians living in the Hulun-

which enabled western countries to appreciate the charm of buir region. It can be concluded that such a case should not

Oriental culture. be an individual case, and the indigenization and localization

The nomadic people in northern China moved westward of settled business travel groups should be universal. On the

along the Steppe Silk Road, which promoted the contact and other hand, it also promotes the process of learning Chinese,

communication between eastern and western ethnic cultures understanding and absorbing Chinese customs in local and

and promoted cultural changes. surrounding areas, and promotes the integration of langua-

ges, folk customs and blood ties among various ethnic groups. All in all, the Grassland Silk Road, like a golden bridge, With its broad mind and connects China with the world. As a Chinese saying goes, continuous strength, the “Civilizations are enriched by exchanges and mutual lear-

Grassland Silk Road has played ning.” Longitudinally, the grassland Silk Road has a long and

an irreplaceable historical role in far-reaching influence. From a horizontal perspective, the

the exchanges and integration prairie Silk Road has a wide range of influence and many

between the north and the South areas. The strategic conception of “One Belt and One Road”

and between China and the West. development, especially the economic construction of “New

Silk Economic Belt” and the construction of “China-Russia-Mongolia Economic Corridor”, need to study the grassland The Grassland Silk Road Promoted Exchanges and Silk Road from a new perspective to provide a beneficial re- Integration Among Ethnic Groups ference for the construction of the new Silk Economic Belt.

A large number of merchant stores were distributed along With its broad mind and continuous strength, the Grass-

the Prairie Silk Road, around which a number of bazaars, land Silk Road has played an irreplaceable historical role in

towns and villages were formed. Due to the agglomeration the exchanges and integration between the north and the

of commerce, people at both ends of the Silk Road stayed in South and between China and the West. It has also provided

markets, towns and villages for a long time and settled down. the material foundation and spiritual bond for today’s econo-

In today’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Xilin Gol, mic construction of the New Silk Road Belt.

Horqin, Hulun Buir region in the old business area, there is

found that because of the trade and settled down under the References

non-grassland ethnic settlement villages. For example, Gu- Dawson, E. (1983). Chinese Envoy to Mongolia (translated

angtai company has such a village in the Horqin area, and by Lu Pu, Zhou Liangxiao zhu). Beijing: China Social

the forefathers of the village villagers are the Central Plains Sciences Press.

Komroff, M. (Ed.). (2002). The travels of people who come here to do business, be the shopkeeper and Marco Polo (The Venetian). NY: W. W. Norton &

be the clerk. It is said that old people in the village said that Company.

their predecessors who came here to do business generally Yao, M. H. (1907). Mongolian Annals.

speak a little Mongolian, or at least can trade in Mongolian. Zhang Zhiyao. (1994). Grassland Silk Road and Central

Nowadays, Mongolian is the main language of the villagers, Asian Civilization. Xinjiang: Fine Arts Photography

but most of them can’t speak Chinese. Their children go to Publishing House.