China, the Silk Road, and Religion
China, the Silk Road, and Religion T he BBC special, The Silk Road: Where East Met West, focuses on the effects of the Silk Road on China while Patrick Bresnan's Awakening focuses on Buddhism’s influence on Chinese society. The video does discuss Buddhism's journey into China, but it chooses to focus on Islam's impact on western China instead. The cities of Dunhuang, Turpan, and Khotan are located along the western border of China. These cities were shaped by their location along the Silk Road, one of the most active trade routes in human history. Along this route spread goods like silk and spices, but also ideas like Buddhism and Islam. These cities were heavily influenced by Buddhism, but also Islam, leading to a large population of Uyghur Muslims in these cities. Emin Minaret and Mosque in Turpan In the city of Khotan, near the western Chinese border, the population is “90% Uyghur” ( The Silk Road 47:45-48:00). This city was the f...