Evolution of the Land-Sea Silk Road Watershed: Causes and Impacts

Abstract

From a macro point of view, the evolution of the land Silk Road presents the characteristics of "pendulum movement", while that of the sea Silk Road presents the status of "right-sided normal distribution". Based on some historical facts, it can be determined that the watershed of the land and sea Silk Road was in the Northern Song Dynasty. The main reasons for the watershed of the evolution of the land-Sea Silk Road are as follows: the Northern Song Dynasty failed to control the Northwest Silk Road (East Asia section) effectively, but paid more attention to maritime trade; The development of shipbuilding technology and navigation technology in Northern Song Dynasty and other countries; The economic scale of the Northern Song was much larger than that of the regimes along the Northwest Silk Road. The natural environment in northwest China deteriorated. The watershed of land-sea Silk Road evolution mainly includes: helping shift China's economic center of gravity from the northwest and Central Plains to the southeast, strengthening its control over the southeast and many islands; Strengthen the development of the southeast which has not been fully developed before, and increase the proportion of the population of the southeast in the total population of our country; Strengthen the contact with many overseas countries, trade volume and communication frequency are significantly increased; We will accelerate scientific and cultural exchanges between China and other countries. Many enlightenments can be found by analyzing the emergence of this watershed.