Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c13.s1.16

v2.c13.s1.16

**The configuration of the Silk Road:** The basic route of the Silk Road was determined in the period of the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties. It started from Chang’an and passed through Longban via four counties of the Hexi Corridor: Wuwei, Zhang Ye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang. It then went through the Yumen Pass or Yang Pass and Bailongdui to Loulan. Loulan was located in the northwest of Yanze (present-day Puchanghai, Lop Nor). In the western regions, there were two roads, with Loulan as the meeting point. The northern road was from Loulan to Quli (Korla), Wulei and Luntai along the Konqi River and on to Shule (present-day Kashgar) via Qiuci (Kuqa) and Gumo (Aksu). The southern route went from Yuni in Shanshan along the Qarqan River in the southwest via Qiemo, Yumi, Khotan, Pishan and Shache to Shule. Due to the southward shift of the Gobi Desert over more than 1,000 years, the eastern part of the southern road was subject to desertification. The ancient cities such as Yixun and Yuni were covered by the desert so that the road had to shift further south. In 73 CE, Emperor Ming of the Han dynasty attacked the Xiongnu and took Yiwulu (present-day Kumul, Xinjiang). They sent military officers for garrison and reclamation work to prevent the Northern Xiongnu from invading the western region. The Han and the Northern Xiongnu fought many battles for Yiwu but the Northern Xiongnu was finally forced to move west and the Han government was able to open up the new north road. The new north road started from Dunhuang and passed through Yiwu to the north then through Liuzhong, Gaochang, Jiaohe in Cheshiqianbu (all in the Turpan Depression today), Mount Tianshan and Yanqi to Qiuci and then along the earlier mentioned northern road to reach Shule (Kashgar). This new north road was called “middle road” in the *Brief History of the Wei*.