The Silk Road: A Cha

The Silk Road chapter exemplifies the book's genius for transforming historical narrative into living cultural dialogue. Rather than merely mapping trade routes, it uses tangible artifacts—perhaps a fragmented brocade from Dunhuang or a Roman coin unearthed in Chang'an—to illuminate how the Silk Road functioned as an artery of civilization, not just commerce. The authors masterfully avoid Sinocentric bias, presenting the route as a genuine two-way exchange where ideas, religions, and technologies flowed bidirectionally.