Silk Road

n. historical trade route between the Mediterranean and China

The Silk Road, or Silk Route, is an interconnected series of ancient trade routes through various regions of the Asian continent, mainly connecting Chang'an (today's Xi'an) in China, with Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. It extends over 8,000 km (5,000 miles) on land and sea. Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the great civilizations of China, India, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, and Rome, and helped to lay the foundations for the modern world. The first person who used the term "seidenstrassen" or Silk Road was the German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen in 1877.
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Noun
1. an ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean (4,000 miles); followed by Marco Polo in the 13th century to reach Cathay
(hypernym) trade route
(part-meronym) Gansu, Kansu, Gansu province