Journal Entry

Chang’an, April 5, 200, Dawn

The brown papyrus crinkles from the slightest touch, containing several ancient secrets collected from lands far, far away. Lands across the misty mountains of China, humid deserts of Egypt, and the powerful kingdom of Rome. Lands that can only be reached through the mysterious Silk Road, a Road of the past, where history and witchcraft came alive. 

          At least that's what legends say.

For decades travelers had braved the haunting roads, risking everything they had, to find out more about legendary cities, ones only few people believed even existed. Until a few years ago, places such as India, Syria, and Persia, were supposed to be a myth. But then word of such places came from travelers; as well as many goods and ideas from distant areas of the world. 

        Nowadays, the Silk Road is a busy route, followed by thousands of merchants, caravan guides, and Han officials. And I will soon be one of them. As per the emperor’s wishes, I am to travel in secret through the Silk Road to keep tabs on western lands; I have to head west from Chang’an, towards Dunhuang. The map that I had looked at earlier is stuffed in my travel bag, crumpled and lying at the bottom. A sense of excitement and dread fills me- I wonder how it must feel like to travel on the Silk Road. Sure, it will be dangerous, but I am more excited about the ideas, thoughts and goods that will be shared during the journey.  

    What must have the travelers before me felt, of their journey? 

I hear my Caravan leader’s shout from my tent: “ We Go!” in Chinese.

               Time to find out for myself.

Later that Day…..

My throat hurts. So does my back, my neck, my legs- every part of my body aches in pain. It’s been a couple of hours of our journey, and I am already tired. Pi Lin Yul, my caravan leader, decided to go further to Marakanda, a city in the Kushan empire, than our original destination of Kashgar. As a result, we ended up following a different route altogether, and now we’re stuck at a Kushan toll. Pi Lin is seething in anger with a Kushan man, who demands that we pay to go across. It’s quite funny, actually, seeing them yelling themselves hoarse by shouting. I’ve just noticed that politics plays an important role in the Silk Road, and trade is affected largely due to conflicts between empires. For instance, the Khushiyan is not letting us go without a fee because China and Kush are not getting along well. Hmm.. This trip seems to be far more difficult than I realized. 

 Dunhuang, June 1, 200, Evening

I have traveled more than 1,000 miles, and the journey was quite exhausting, yet so... enlightening. As I sat around the campfire, I couldn't help but feel inspired by the talks of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism. So many new cultures and religions, and so many different ideas about the world. The many different types of lifestyle, the many different types of people. This experience reminded me of our visit to the Dunhuang caves earlier, which were filled with Buddhist shrines, rolls of manuscripts, and paintings of various gods. The cave revealed to me something, something I noticed for the first time: that there is a multicultural world out there, where concerns of travelers are different from place to place. It’s amazing to think that so many ideas have been shared along the Silk Road and mingled and mixed among people from different areas of the world- something like a “cultural diffusion.”

Taklimakan Desert, June 12, 200, Midday

Phew! It sure is scorching hot around here. We are in the middle of the Taklimakan Desert, and it’s got be over 100 degrees out here! There is nothing to guide us, either, unless you count animal droppings and bones of men that serve as markers in this scorching plain of sand, that seems to exist for infinity in all directions. To make matters worse, I seem to hear wailings of spirits and goblins! I surely am going crazy. No wonder many quit their journey, for surely anyone will faint from the unbearable heat. The rest of my journey better be worth it!!

Marakanda, September 23, 200, Afternoon

Just this morning we arrived in the city of Marakanda. My next destination is Antioch. Marakanda seems to be a thriving city and its people are kind and skilled in their arts. There is very fertile soil, with plenty of vegetation. The rest of my journey I expect will prove to be quite successful, as many precious merchandise is available in Antioch. I must say, travel through the Taklimakan desert was worth it! 

Antioch, April 22, 201, Evening

I feel like celebrating!!! We have finally reached our final destination. I finally completed a once-in-a-lifetime achievement: I traveled the entire length of the Silk Route. I also learned a lot about other lands- that should impress the emperor! (I’m a Han official) The journey was also worth it, as I received 200 Ferghana horses, 20 bags of Indian pepper, and 30 Roman colored glass vases. Those are some goods!! Besides, I learned so many new religions and ideas I had never learned about. Life as a traveler on the Silk Road is really worth it! In fact, I actually am tempted to travel to Rome. Who knows what else there is to learn from others? The new ideas I will learn?