丝绸之路 · The Silk Road

丝绸之路Sīchóu zhī Lù是shì古代gǔdài连接liánjiē中国Zhōngguó和hé西方xīfāng的de贸易màoyì通道。tōngdào

The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes connecting China and the West.

它tā始shǐ于yú西汉Xī Hàn时期,shíqī由yóu外交官wàijiāoguān张骞Zhāng Qiān开辟。kāipì

It originated in the Western Han dynasty, opened up by the diplomat Zhang Qian.

商队shāngduì把bǎ丝绸、sīchóu瓷器cíqì和hé茶叶cháyè从cóng长安Cháng'ān运yùn往wǎng西方。xīfāng

Caravans transported silk, porcelain, and tea from Chang'an westward.

返程fǎnchéng时,shí他们tāmen带回dài huí了le葡萄、pútáo核桃、hétáo玻璃器bōli qì和hé音乐。yīnyuè

On the return trip they brought back grapes, walnuts, glassware, and music.

丝路Sī Lù的de交流jiāoliú不仅bùjǐn是shì商业shāngyè上shàng的,de也yě是shì宗教zōngjiào和hé艺术yìshù上shàng的。de

Silk Road exchange was not only commercial — it was also religious and artistic.

佛教Fójiào就是jiùshì沿yán着zhe这条zhè tiáo路lù传入chuán rù中原Zhōngyuán的。de

Buddhism entered the Central Plains along this road.

沙漠shāmò之zhī行xíng极其jíqí危险,wēixiǎn风沙、fēngshā强盗qiángdào和hé疾病jíbìng夺duó去qù了le无数wúshù生命。shēngmìng

The desert journey was extremely dangerous — sandstorms, bandits, and disease all took countless lives.

但dàn正是zhèng shì这种zhè zhǒng艰难jiānnán的de交流,jiāoliú塑造sùzào了le欧亚Ōuyà大陆dàlù丰富fēngfù的de文化wénhuà多样性。duōyàngxìng

Yet it was precisely this difficult exchange that built the rich cultural diversity of Eurasia.

张骞Zhāng Qiān第一次dì yī cì出使chūshǐ时shí被bèi匈奴Xiōngnú抓住,zhuā zhù扣留kòuliú了le十多年。shí duō nián

On his first mission Zhang Qian was seized by the Xiongnu and held for over ten years.

他tā没有méiyǒu放弃fàngqì使命,shǐmìng后来hòulái找到zhǎo dào机会jīhuì逃走,táo zǒu继续jìxù西行。xī xíng

He did not abandon the mission; he later found a chance to escape and pressed west.

回到huí dào长安Cháng'ān时,shí一百多人yì bǎi duō rén的de队伍duìwu只zhǐ剩下shèng xià两个人。liǎng ge rén

When he returned to Chang'an, only two of a party of over a hundred were left.

丝绸sīchóu在zài罗马Luómǎ非常fēicháng昂贵,ángguì据说jùshuō和hé黄金huángjīn同价。tóng jià

Silk was extremely costly in Rome — said to be worth its weight in gold.

罗马人Luómǎ rén很久hěn jiǔ都dōu不bù知道zhīdào丝sī是shì怎么zěnme做出来zuò chūlái的。de

For a long time the Romans did not know how silk was made.

他们tāmen以为yǐwéi丝sī长zhǎng在zài树上。shù shàng

They believed silk grew on trees.

沿途yántú兴起xīngqǐ了le许多xǔduō城市,chéngshì比如bǐrú敦煌、Dūnhuáng撒马尔罕。Sāmǎ'ěrhǎn

Many cities rose along the route, such as Dunhuang and Samarkand.

敦煌Dūnhuáng的de莫高窟里,Mògāo Kū lǐ保存bǎocún着zhe上千年shàng qiān nián的de壁画。bìhuà

In the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, murals a thousand years old are preserved.

那些nàxiē壁画上,bìhuà shàng能néng看到kàndào不同bùtóng民族mínzú的de面孔miànkǒng和hé服装。fúzhuāng

On those murals you can see the faces and dress of many different peoples.

今天jīntiān的de"一带一路",Yí Dài Yí Lù名字míngzi就jiù来自láizì这条zhè tiáo古道。gǔdào

Today's "Belt and Road" takes its very name from this ancient route.