Did Marco Polo Really Go to China?
Il Milione: taking apart the theory that the famous Venetian traveler never actually reached the Middle Kingdom. A note for impatient readers: this article first … Read more
Traversing Time and Cultures in “Silk Road Centurion”, Interview with Scott Forbes Crawford
Blending History with Imagination. Scott Forbes Crawford, the author behind “Silk Road Centurion,” published by Camphor Press, “The Han-Xiongnu War 133 BC – 89 AD,” … Read more
Silk Road Kingdoms: Cultural and Historical Interactions
Silk Road Chronicles: Kingdoms, Cultures, and Echoes of Antiquity. The Silk Road, an extensive network of trade routes connecting the East and West, and extending … Read more
The Silk Road: A Tale of Trade, Exploration, and Cultural Fusion
Silk, Spices, and Stories: the History of the Silk Road The Silk Road (絲綢之路), a significant Eurasian network of trade routes, was operational from the … Read more
The Dotar: A Traditional Instrument in Central and South Asia
Stringing Together Cultures: The Story of the Dotar. The Dotar (Chinese: 都塔尔; Persian: دو تار, dotār; Uzbek: dutor), also known as Dutar, is a member … Read more
![Emperor Justinian Receiving the First Imported Silkworm Eggs from Nestorian Monks, Plate 2 from "The Introduction of the Silkworm" [Vermis Sericus] ca. 1595](https://china-underground.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Emperor-Justinian-Receiving-the-First-Imported-Silkworm-Eggs-from-Nestorian-Monks-768x580.jpg)
How a few Monks Smuggled Silkworm Eggs into the Byzantine Empire
Ancient Industrial espionage: the story of the Few Monk-spies Who Broke Two Monopolies. As a result of the removal of middlemen (The Silk Road: A … Read more
Interview with William Han, author of From The Wall To The Water
William Han set out in 2015 to travel the ancient Silk Road from China to Europe, following in the footsteps of Gan Ying, a Chinese … Read more
From The Wall To The Water by William Han
In 2015, footloose lawyer and screenplay writer William Han set out to travel the ancient Silk Road from China to Europe, following the footsteps of … Read more
9 Chinese Native Plants that changed Western food culture and habits
Chinese Native Plants Chinese native plants that shaped Western food culture and traditions. Every day, every moment of our lives, even the most trivial, to … Read more
516 Confucius Institutes founded in 142 countries
516 Confucius Institutes and 1,076 Confucius Classrooms have been established in 142 countries and regions, according to the Confucius Institute Headquarters. Confucius Institute (孔子学院, Kǒngzǐ … Read more
China, Sri Lanka sign $1.5 billion port deal
Sri Lanka’s port Sri Lanka’s government on Saturday signed a long-delayed agreement to sell a 70 percent stake in a $1.5 billion port to China … Read more
Silk Road hub or tax haven? China’s new border trade zone may be less than it seems
HORGOS, China/KHORGOS, Kazakhstan (Reuters) – On the border of China and Kazakhstan, an international free trade zone has become a showpiece of Chinese President Xi … Read more
Heshun | Baoshan | Yunnan Guide
Heshun Township (侨乡和顺镇) is 3 kilometers southwest of downtown Tengchong, Yunnan Province. In history, Heshun folks had a tradition of seeking fortune in South Asian … Read more
Baoshan | Yunnan Travel Guide
Baoshan guide – Located in western Yunnan, Baoshan (保山) was an important stage on the famous Southwest Silk Road with a rich culture. The Tengchong … Read more