Reference: MA, Debin. “The Great Silk Exchange: How the World ...

the China connection. Both Dieter Kuhn and Claudier Zanier, in their comparative studies
of pre-modern technology, unequivocally noted that the key elements of the early European
silk-reeling and throwing equipment could find their origin in earlier Chinese versions
(Needham 1988: 418-33; Zanier 1994). Chinese sericulture and silk production had reached
a peak in terms of both quality and productivity in the Song dynasty, immediately before the
Mongol rule in China (Needham 1988: 384-90; Fan and Jin 1993: Ch. 4). The opening-up
of the Eurasian continent by the Mongols marked the high stage of East-West exchange as
symbolized by the famous travels of Marco Polo.
Silk Road: the sea route
Early maritime trade
The sea route, sometimes considered the second Silk Road, linked the South China Sea to
the Indian Ocean, and through either the Persian Gulf or the Red Sea, connected to the
Mediterranean. It brought out Chinese silk almost as early as the land route. In the early
days, primitive ships and navigational tools and lack of geographical knowledge enabled
the seafarers to cover only short distances, staying close to the shore lines. Paralleling the
overland route, the sea route served as an effective alternative (Needham 1954: 176-80).
The rise of Islam played a crucial role in the development of the sea route as it did
for the land route. During the eighth and ninth centuries the Islamic shipmasters penetrated
into the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, China and even reached Korea and Japan
(Needham 1954: 179; Hourani 1951: Ch. II). As illustrated earlier, pressure from Islamic
and other forces on the Northwestern frontier had pushed China’s external trade
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