From Chang'An to Rome---A Trip over the Silk Road of the Han and Tang Dynasties (PDF)

This book includes every aspect of history of Silk Roads: there are many significant events influencing historical course, like return of Hexi to Han Dynasty, fighting for Haisai, Zhangqian visiting the western regions, Emperor Yang of Sui going west, Torgut returning to homeland, etc; there are numberous kingdoms used to be glorious but vanished, such as Loulan Kingdom, Western Xia regime, Chouchi Kingdom, and Tuyuhun Kingdom, etc; there are lots of historical figures filled with legendary, for example, Zhangqian, Banchao, Huo Qubing, Xijun, Jieyou, Fengliao, Wang Zhaojun, Xuanzang, Genghis Khan, Lin Zexu, and Zuo Zongtang, etc; there are the mass nations active in Silk Roads in history, like Xiongnu, Uyghur, Tangut, Tibetan, Tuyuhun, and Mongolia, etc. If his departure from Chang'an, investigation and writing all along the way from Guanlong Hexi, Tarim river region is out of his enthusiasm for the beautiful land of the country, then the part of foreign countries in his writing fully represents his attitude to be responsible for the history. He made great efforts referring to ancient books and records, and investigation on-the spot in meticulous and earnest way, when writing Karachi which bordering Xinjiang and verging Arabic sea, this Silk Road from China to Ancient India; and then the European parts, from countries and towns related to Silk Roads, till Rome, the end of Silk Roads.