The Silk Road is famous primarily for bringing together the East and the West, the two great civilizations in ancient times.

Zhang Qian, a noted diplomat, opened the Silk Road. He was dispatched in 139BC and 119BC by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to head a delegation to China's western neighbors to form and alliance against the invading Huns. His two trips to the western territories laid the foundation for the opening of the Silk Road. It was around 100BC than the Silk Road became a trade route between the two most powerful empires in the world at that time-Rome and China.

The opening of the Silk Road brought not only silk to the West but also other major inventions from China-paper-making, metallurgy, gunpowder, the compass, and movable type printing. Likewise, China's delicacies, such as tea, oranges, peaches, and barley were also introduced to the West. By the same token, pomegranates, carrots, cotton, ostrich and giraffe came into China.

The Silk Road includes three routes. The main route starts from Chang'an (Xi'an) in the east, through Zhangye, Dunhuang, Loulan, Taklimakan Desert, Mali, Teheran, Baghdad, to Cairo or istanbul. The second route, through Anxi, Xinjiang, Alamutu, Jumbul, to Caspian Sea. The third route: along the Hexi Corridor, through islamabad, to New Delhi of india.

The major tourist area along the Silk Road include Xi'an, Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Turpan or Hami, Urumqi, etc. The important tourist spots include Loulan Ruins, Mogao Grottoes, Maijishan Grottoes, and the culture and custom of the minorities in the Western Regions.