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Guide to Hiking China's Old Road to Shu

History
Plank Roads

Barrier Passes

Flagstones

Earlier Travelers

Flagstones

Barrier Passes

The Road to Shu was built by the Qin state in the 4th century B.C.
to facilitate its conquest of Shu, today’s Sichuan Province.  The
Qin state eventually went on to conquer the remainder of China in
221 B.C., but its reign was short, and it was the Han dynasty which
followed (206 B.C.–220 A.D.) that improved and enlarged the Qin
imperial road system, adding flagstone paving, post houses to lodge
government couriers, and barrier points manned by the military to
check credentials of merchants and regulate traffic. Private inns
also grew up to serve the many traders passing through, and goods
from the far corners of the empire came pouring into the capital
at Chang’an (today’s Xi’an) over the imperial highways. The Road
to Shu became one of the most important roads in the country during
this period, supplying the capital not only with Sichuan commodities
such as salt, iron, and coal, but with fine luxury items, as well,
including the silk and lacquerware that would eventually leave
Chang’an and make its way across Central Asia on the Silk Road. The
importance of the Road to Shu diminished in the 10th century when
the capital left the Xi'an region for good, but it continued to be an
important regional artery until it was finally replaced by a highway
between 1935 and 1941.
To check out the additional excerpts, click
on the Plank Roads link first and then follow the next link on that page.

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                                         ©Hope Lindsey Justman