The Silk Road is the name of different roads that long ago connected Europe，Africa and Asin．Peopie reached these different places along these roads．Scientists believe people began to travel the Silk Road about 3000 years ago．By the time the Chinese silk trade became important in the word，the Silk Road covered almost 6500 kilometres．It spread from Rome to China，which is from the West to the Far East．

    Traders traveling along the Silk Road carried silk，of course．They also carried and traded spices（香料），cloth，valuable stones and gold．

    There is a famous old story along the old road..It is said that Roman soldiers（士兵） traveled through central Asin．They started to live somewhere near the ancient Chinese village of Liqian．Some of these Romans married local Chinese women and the story of blue﹣eyed villages of China was started．

    During its busiest period，the Silk Rond allowed people from many different cultures and countries to meet each other and mix．The Silk Road allowed the sharing of valunble goods and new ideas．These included people and trading goods from the Mediterranean，Persian，Magyar，Armenian，Bactian，Indian and Chinese ares．All these peoples traveled the Silk Road，and they shared goods，stories，languages，and cultures．

    In modern times，the old Silk Roads routes（路线） are still used，but now they are crossed by trains instesd of camels and horses．There is even a Silk Route Muscum in Jiuquan in China．It has over 35，000 objects from all along the Silk Road．In this way，China protects the of many countries and peoples．