丝绸之路 The Silk Road

两千liǎngqiān多duō年nián前qián的de汉朝Hàncháo，一yí位wèi叫jiào张骞Zhāng Qiān的de使者shǐzhě从cóng长安Cháng'ān出发chūfā，一直yìzhí向xiàng西xī走zǒu去qù。

Over two thousand years ago, in the Han dynasty, an envoy named Zhang Qian set out from Chang'an and headed all the way west.

他tā的de旅程lǚchéng十分shífēn艰苦jiānkǔ，但dàn打开dǎkāi了le一yì条tiáo连接liánjiē中国Zhōngguó与yǔ西方xīfāng的de通道tōngdào。

His journey was extremely hard, but it opened up a passage connecting China with the West.

因为yīnwèi中国Zhōngguó的de丝绸sīchóu在zài这zhè条tiáo路lù上shang最zuì有名yǒumíng，后人hòurén就jiù把bǎ它tā称为chēngwéi“丝绸之路Sīchóu zhī Lù”。

Because Chinese silk was the most famous thing on this road, later generations called it the "Silk Road."

商人们shāngrénmen赶gǎn着zhe骆驼luòtuo，把bǎ丝绸sīchóu、茶叶cháyè和hé瓷器cíqì运yùn往wǎng西方xīfāng。

Merchants drove camels, transporting silk, tea, and porcelain to the West.

与此同时yǔcǐ tóngshí，葡萄pútao、西方xīfāng的de好hǎo马mǎ等děng也yě传入chuánrù了le中国Zhōngguó。

At the same time, grapes, fine Western horses, and other things were introduced into China.

这zhè条tiáo路lù上shang交流jiāoliú的de不仅bùjǐn是shì商品shāngpǐn，还有háiyǒu思想sīxiǎng、音乐yīnyuè和hé技术jìshù。

What was exchanged along this road was not only goods, but also ideas, music, and technology.

佛教Fójiào就jiù是shì沿着yánzhe这zhè条tiáo路lù，从cóng印度Yìndù传到chuándào中国Zhōngguó的de。

Buddhism, in fact, spread from India to China along this very road.

想象xiǎngxiàng一下yíxià：在zài沙漠shāmò的de夜里yèli，骆驼队luòtuoduì在zài星空xīngkōng下xià慢慢mànmàn前进qiánjìn，一yì走zǒu就jiù是shì几jǐ个gè月yuè。

Imagine it: in the desert night, a camel caravan advances slowly under the starry sky, walking for months at a stretch.

一yì条tiáo路lù让ràng不同bùtóng的de文明wénmíng相遇xiāngyù，也yě改变gǎibiàn了le世界shìjiè的de历史lìshǐ。

One road allowed different civilizations to meet, and it changed the history of the world.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

丝绸sīchóusilk

使者shǐzhěenvoy; emissary

通道tōngdàopassage; channel

骆驼luòtuocamel

瓷器cíqìporcelain

佛教FójiàoBuddhism

与此同时 (at the same time)

A formal connector adding a simultaneous event: 与此同时，葡萄、西方的好马等也传入了中国。

他在学习汉语，与此同时，他也在教英语。 — He is studying Chinese; at the same time, he is also teaching English.

不仅…还有… (not only… but also…)

Extends a statement beyond the first item: 交流的不仅是商品，还有思想、音乐和技术。

这个城市不仅有现代建筑，还有很多古老的街道。 — This city has not only modern buildings, but also many old streets.

一 + V + 就是 + duration (once you start, it lasts…)

Emphasizes how long an action continues once begun: 一走就是几个月。

他一工作就是十个小时。 — Once he starts working, it's ten hours straight.

1. Who opened the route that later became the Silk Road?

2. According to the text, what came from the West into China?

3. How did Buddhism reach China?