Using documents unearthed from the famous Dunhuang “library cave” in Western China, The King’s Road paints a detailed picture of the intricate network of trans-Eurasian transportation and communication routes that was established between 8 CE. It also describes the risks and dangers envoys faced along the way-from financial catastrophe to robbery and murder. The book tells the story of the everyday lives of diplomatic travelers on the Silk Road-what they ate and drank, the gifts they carried, and the animals that accompanied them-and how they navigated a complex web of geographic, cultural, and linguistic boundaries. Tracing the arduous journeys of diplomatic envoys, Xin Wen presents a rich social history of long-distance travel that played out in deserts, post stations, palaces, and polo fields. The King’s Road offers a new interpretation of the history of the Silk Road, emphasizing its importance as a diplomatic route, rather than a commercial one.
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