From the second century BC onwards great caravans of merchants travelled by lonely desert tracks and lofty mountain passes along what came to be known as the Silk Road. The exchanges of philosophies, religions and technology en route transformed the cultures of east and west. The great trade route stretched from Xi'an, ancient capital of China, through the oases of Central Asia, to the very heart of the Roman Empire. This guide combines the past - the history of its cities and buried sites, the personalities who explored them, and the legends - with the present. It is packed with information for the modern traveller on where to stay and eat and describes the diverse traditions and lifestyles of local minority peoples.