Southern Silk Research Articles

Invoking the Goddess along the Southern Silk Roads: a transregional survey of Prajñāpāramitā protective texts

Abstract This article brings together various textual materials relating to the worship of Prajñāpāramitā in mediaeval Monsoon Asia. In particular, it covers sources from South Asia, mainland Southeast Asia (Angkor), maritime Southeast Asia (Java and Bali), and Southern China (Yunnan). The aims of this critical survey are twofold. On the one hand, the article argues for the importance of ritual language within wider discussions on cultural and linguistic cosmopolitanism within and beyond the so-called ‘Sanskrit Cosmopolis’. These discussions have too often focused on royal epigraphic eulogies, neglecting religious literature. On the other hand, it highlights the key role of Prajñāpāramitā as a protective deity, and the transregional heritage of her invocatory texts. These texts strike one for their traditional choice of imagery and associations, thus reminding of the importance of exoteric traditions within the history of Southeast Asian Buddhism.

The Formation and Analysis of the Concept of Tea Horse Ancient Road

The Tea Horse Ancient Road is an original achievement proposed by the Chinese academic community that differs from the concept of the Western Silk Road. It was initially proposed by six scholars, including Mu Jihong and Li Xu. This concept has completely different characteristics from the popular concept of the Southern Silk Road. The Tea Horse Ancient Road mainly transports tea to Tibet, rather than overseas trade. It is not a so-called branch line of the Southern Silk Road, and the main trading goods of the two commercial routes are also different. One is cake tea, and the other is Shu cloth and silk. From this, it can be seen that the formation of the Tea Horse Ancient Road is mainly due to the tea trade.

Research on the Impact of the Belt and Road Strategy on China’s Yunnan Tourism

Since ancient times, the Southern Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road have carried economic, cultural and political functions, promoted regional economic and trade cooperation, and promoted regional cultural integration. Yunnan is the intersection of the Maritime Silk Road and the Land Silk Road, and its geographical and strategic location is of great significance. In recent years, the central government has put forward the “the Belt and Road (B&R) “ initiative. As one of the 13 provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government) defined by the Silk Road Economic Belt, Yunnan has rich resource advantages, cultural advantages and regional advantages. Relying on its unique geographical advantages, rich natural resources and diverse folk culture, Yunnan has become one of the important tourist destinations in China. Especially with the deepening of the “B&R” initiative, Yunnan’s international status has become increasingly prominent. The “B&R” strategy is of great significance to the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry. On the one hand, it opens up markets for tourism, and on the other hand, it promotes the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry to face the world. Based on the current situation of the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry in the context of the “B&R” initiative, this paper analyzes the opportunities and challenges faced by the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry in the context of the “B&R” initiative, and finally puts forward effective development strategies for Yunnan’s tourism industry.

Lost and Gone: A Representational Study of Bronze Ornaments in the Ancient Dian Kingdom, China

Abstract Amidst its diverse prehistoric civilizations, the Shizhaishan culture has provided evidence concerning the lives the ancient Dian people more than 2,000 years ago with its vivid and figurative excavated artifacts exhibiting exquisite craftsmanship and varied forms. One of the artifacts unearthed from Tomb M6, the “Golden Seal of the King of Dian,” matches exactly with descriptions in the Historical Records, serving as the only domestic case in which the “the dual evidence method” of historical research has been applied. Bronze ornaments embodying the sophistication of Bronze Age civilization in the Dian Kingdom have been excavated from this and subsequent large tombs, the cultural interaction between Dian and the Bronze Age plaques of the Scythians on the Eurasian steppe and the North System implies exchange between different prehistoric civilizations an issue that is still source of current academic debate. This paper provides an iconographic study of the Dian Kingdom bronze ornaments through the study of decorative motifs, inlaid materials, and the casting and gilding techniques. In this respect, we explore social production in the Dian Kingdom and contact between the civilizations of the East and the West across the “golden latitude” and connected by the “Southern Silk Road.” Our paper concludes that Bronze Ornaments are the concrete embodiment of the Ancient Chinese South-west highland and Western civilization in terms of the integration in the integration Dian culture. Therefore, this subject of is great value in terms of our understanding of both regional prehistory and cultural development.

Экономическая конъюнктура Арктики на китайском энергетическом рынке

Over the past decade, the Chinese economy has grown at a faster pace (up to 8 % per year), which is a consequence of the unprecedented expansion of China in world markets. Such a competitive position presupposes the same significant (up to 15 %) growth in energy consumption, which is ensured by both an increase in domestic production (to a lesser extent) and imports of energy resources — oil, pipeline and liquefied natural gas and coal. In the context of aggravated competition between the leading economies of the world (China and the United States), the security of transporting energy resources from the Persian Gulf and other regions through the narrows of the Strait of Hormuz and Malacca, as well as through the regions of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait controlled by the United States, acquires a new sound for China. To solve this problem, China is building up its naval presence in the direction of the Southern Silk Road, but mainly in the waters of the Pacific Ocean seas — the Yellow, East China and South China, that is, in the operational zones of the three fleets of the Chinese Navy — the North, East and South, from the exits to the operational zone of the Russian Pacific Fleet in the waters of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. Demonstration of strength and flag during joint sailing of the two fleets is carried out within the framework of the exercises of the “Maritime Interaction” format from 2012 to 2021 inclusive, except for 2020 due to the aggravation of the epidemiological situation in connection with COVID-19. The latent goal of these exercises is to practice coastal defense missions in the zone where China's strategic oil reserve is located.

BCIM Economic Corridor an Integral Part of BRI for Regional Cooperation: Positioning India’s North-East and Act East Policy

China proactively wants to establish the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM-EC) as an integral part of the Belt and Road Initiative for economic cooperation. Through the BCIM-EC, China wants to revive the ancient Southern Silk Road trade route. Beijing realises that to achieve the BCIM-EC, India’s cooperation would be indispensable. India has been hesitant to fully commit to the BCIM-EC owing mainly to the surging trade deficit with China, overlapping of objectives with other similar existing regional cooperation initiatives, China’s dominance in South Asia, security concerns, territorial disputes and trade-related logistic issues. However, in recent times, India has shown more interest in developing the economic corridor considering its potential to promote development, security and stability in the Indian Northeast, which would align well with the geostrategic objectives of India’s Act East Policy (AEP). India however needs to better align its AEP with BCIM-EC in order to promote and strengthen the AEP and thereby concurrently build the BCIM-EC to link Southeast Asia and China.

Old Routes, New Dreams: Reminiscences of the Southern Silk Road and Bengal-China Connectivities

Abstract An increasing optimism at the prospect of “shared prosperity” has revived attention on ancient historical routes such as the Southern Silk Road compelling us to rethink notions of the “centre” and the “periphery” in comprehending binaries of nation-states and agencies of globalization. This article focuses on revisiting circulatory movements and networks from the past across land and sea between Bengal delta and China in strengthening the networks and a new alignment of communities and economic possibilities. It explores some of the lesser-studied historical routes in the region and different dimensions of “place making” in the popular imagination and new synergies to redefine the Bengal-China connections.

Research on Parametric Modeling and Digital Reproduction of Ancient Buildings on the Southern Silk Road

This paper takes the parametric modeling technology of ancient buildings on the Southern Silk Road as the research object, and conducts a more in-depth analysis of the types, forms, advantages, and shortcomings of parametric modeling in ancient building modeling with a wealth of cases to demonstrate profound theories in simple language. The parametric modeling of the dwellings of Bai ethnic group in Dali was used as a case for verification. This paper is a more in-depth research paper on the digital modeling of ancient buildings, which has positive reference significance for this kind of research and production.

Reimagining the ‘Central Plains’ (Zhongyuan) and ‘Borderlands’ (Bianjiang): the cultural heritage scholarship of the Ancient Tea Horse Road (Chamagudao) of Southwest China

ABSTRACT It is thirty years since the concept of the Ancient Tea Horse Road (Chamagudao) (ATHR) was formed. Over time it has developed from a scholarly concept to become a significant item in toponymic branding in the tea and tourism industries of Southwest China. As a mobility narrative, the ATHR tells the story of how the diverse peoples of the Southwest forged a collective identity through the production, exchange and consumption of tea. Since its inception the ATHR has made advances even to the point of challenging the once dominant status of the Southern Silk Road. More recently it has also been incorporated into the agenda of the Belt and Road Initiative. Yet whilst the scholarship of the ATHR adds to our understandings of the Southwest, it remains bound to a nationalist historiography and has not realised its ambition to become a recognised transnational route within the international heritage scholarship community. This essay is a tentative effort to introduce the scholarship of the ATHR to a non-Sinophone audience and, at the same time, to offer some suggestions as to how the ATHR as a research project can be expanded to include a more diverse array of interests.

Asia precipitation tripole during boreal summer: Anomalous water vapour transport along the “Southern Silk Road”

AbstractEast Asia and central India (CI) are significantly affected by the Asian summer monsoon. On the inter‐annual time scale, the precipitation in the Hetao region (HT, [35°–42°N, 103°–114°E]) is prominently positively correlated with that in CI (19°–23°N, 78°–83.5°E) during boreal summer, but it is significantly negatively correlated with precipitation over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River valleys (YRV, [30°–34°N, 114°–122°E]), which is manifested as the Asia precipitation tripole (APT). Positive APT represents above‐normal precipitation in HT and CI regions, and below‐normal precipitation in YRV, which is closely related to a developing La Niña episode. The enhanced Walker circulation and the associated anomalous ascent branch over the western Pacific favour the convective activities in the vicinity of the Philippines, thus stimulating the East Asian‐Pacific/Pacific‐Japan teleconnection wave trains. In the lower atmosphere, an anomalous anticyclonic circulation is located over the YRV and Japan, corresponding to a cyclonic circulation over the South China Sea and the Philippines islands. In the positive phase of APT, water vapour is transported from the Kuroshio extension area to the YRV along the easterly airflow, while YRV is a divergent region with water vapour deficiency, which is not conducive to the generation of precipitation in this area. One part of the water vapour is transported to the northwest of the YRV and converges in HT, which is in favour of the above‐normal summer precipitation in this area. The other part of water vapour is transported westward through an anomalous water vapour transport channel which is called the “Southern Silk Road”, which could weaken the water vapour transport from the Arabian sea to East Asia, or vice versa.

Road Heritage: Ancient and Modern Shu brocade and Southern Silk Road

Abstract: It is of great significance to the cross-border and cross-cultural line heritage of human beings to explore the cultural and historical significance of the South Silk Road from the perspective of the Shu brocade and extend the theoretical dialogue of the anthropological road research . Shu Brocade is a special commodity of silk trade, and the South Silk Road is an important part of the trade passage. On the basis of the relationship between Shu Brocade and South Silk Road and the overall investigation on its related concepts flow of ethnic group ,historical and cultural changes not only can help to enrich the whole research of the Silk Road, but also can provide an reliable case for the study of anthropology.

Plants for health: An ethnobotanical 25-year repeat survey of traditional medicine sold in a major marketplace in North-west Yunnan, China

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAlthough quantitative surveys of traditional medicine markets are widely used to gain insights into the economic value, popularity or conservation status of traditional medicinal species, there have been very few repeat surveys. This study is an exception. The research was carried out in Sanyuejie Market in North-west Yunnan Province in China for three reasons. Firstly, Sanyuejie Market is large and historically significant, having operated since the Tang Dynasty (794 CE). Secondly, Sanyuejie Market is located along the “Tea-Horse Road” and “Southern Silk Road”, and as such the trade from this market radiates widely throughout China and into neighboring countries such as Myanmar, Nepal and India. Thirdly, a comprehensive and systematic survey of the market was completed in 1987/88 and so this provided a unique opportunity to conduct a repeat quantitative survey. The findings, highlighting changes in species sold and the reasons why the changes have occurred, are highly relevant to ethnopharmacology at a time of substantial socio-economic and cultural change throughout China. Aim of the studyTo understand the changes in the medicinal plants trade at Sanyuejie Market between 1987/88 and 2012/13. Materials and methodsA quantitative ethnobotanical re-surveying involving literature review, key informant interviews and visual observations of vendor booths at the market and village investigations, was carried out in Sanyuejie. ResultsIn 1987/88, 401 types of herbal preparations derived from 505 species in 111 families and 315 genera were sold in the market. In 2012/13, 623 herbal preparations derived from 709 species in 173 families and 451 genera were being sold. There were 105 types of herbal preparations originating from 115 species that were recorded in 1987/88 but are no longer sold at the market 25 years later. In addition, 326 types of herbal medicine preparations originating from 336 species have been added to the market since the original survey. Labor divisions have also appeared in the market. ConclusionThis study validates that the diversity of herbal medicines sold at Sanyuejie Market has increased and changed greatly. The growing demands for traditional herbal medicines combined with government initiatives to develop the local economy are drivers of the observed changes.

One Belt, One Road (Obor) and Malaysia: A Long-Term Geopolitical Perspective

The Chinese Government has embarked on a new strategy, known as “One Belt, One Road” or OBOR. This paper concentrates on the maritime part of this development policy, which entails heavy infrastructure investments in ports and railroads, but also property developments like satellite cities or condominiums, offered for sale mainly to Chinese citizens. There will be obvious commercial benefits to economies along the Southern Silk Road, but also geo-political effects like increasing political dependency due to Chinese capital investments and acquisition of property rights in ports and condominiums. Regarding these developments, a Malaysian maritime policy is called for to match OBOR and the Indonesian Maritime Fulcrum, as well as ASEAN integration.

Building a Cultural Heritage Corridor Based on Geodesign Theory and Methodology

Geodesign is a type of methodology that integrates dynamic environment modeling based on GIS with planning and design in order to support relevant decision making. It has substantially changed the dominant ways of thinking in planning and design, and has solved spatial issues relating to cultural and natural resources from a new perspective. Taking the Qionglai section of the Southern Silk Road as an example, the present study implemented geodesign theory and methods to investigate the technical approach to building a cultural heritage corridor based on GIS spatial analysis and overlay analysis. Firstly, we analyzed the various data layers of the cultural and natural features in the planning region. We organized all the data based on the principle of classification, organizing it into categories such as natural, cultural, and recreational data. Therefore, we defined the theme of the Southern Silk Road as a historical cultural heritage corridor. Secondly, based on the background, the heritage corridor boundary was defined according to its natural, cultural, and administrative spatial characteristics, with the three thematic boundaries overlaid in order to define a boundary location area covering about 852 square kilometers. Next, we divided all of the resources into three categories: natural heritage resources, cultural heritage resources, and intangible heritage resources and recreational spaces. The elements which could be used to build up the cultural heritage corridor were selected by evaluation and spatial analysis. In this way, we obtained some conclusive spatial information, such as element structures, the heritage density distribution, and the heritage number distribution. Finally, within the heritage boundary, we connected the tangible and intangible heritage resources to form various kinds of linear spaces, with the aim of obtaining the spatial pattern of the heritage corridor.

The Great Game Rebooted or the Long March to Acceptance? The Legal and Policy Impediments to Chinese Investment in Australian Corporations and Business Opportunities

The rise of state capitalism poses profound questions for Australia. Long a beneficiary of China’s hunger for security of supply in natural resources, the country now finds itself increasingly as an investment target and source of business opportunities in sectors as diverse as telecommunications, natural resources and agriculture. As a consequence, elements of Australia’s legal and policy framework are coming under pressure. In particular, the operation of the Foreign Investment Review Board, created as a consequence of the Foreign Acquisition and Takeovers Act (1975), has now become a source of domestic political contestation. This paper explores the implications through the lens of the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper consultation process. It argues that ongoing ambiguity has the potential to undermine the cogency and coherence of the underpinning legal and policy framework. If unresolved it risks Australia becoming bypassed by the emergence of a new Southern Silk Road that positions China, in particular, at the centre of an integrated trading hub dominated by state capitalism.

(Re)positioning Yunnan: region and nation in contemporary provincial narratives

This paper identifies imaginings since the early 1990s to reposition Yunnan from a peripheral province in the PRC to the centre of various regional constructs which involve territories across the PRC's borders, primarily in what are now known as southeast and south Asia. These narratives, which change over time and between actors, are justified using Yunnan's past linkages with territories along the ‘southern silk road’ and through a naturalized presentation of its geographical location and characteristics, are based on the premise of good neighbourly relations, and are driven by imperatives of development. They find practical expression in provincial engagement with regional institutions, and in infrastructure and other programmes. However, the imaginings to reposition the province which these narratives spell out are at the same time constrained by the demands of territorial integrity and national security: a desire not to compromise Yunnan's national belonging. The paper concludes by commenting on implications for understanding ‘China's borderlands’ and their global interactions.

Incense and ritual plant use in Southwest China: A case study among the Bai in Shaxi

BackgroundRitual and religious uses of plant-derived smoke are widespread throughout the world. Our research focuses on Southwest China, where the use of incense is very common. This study aims to document and analyze contemporary ritual plant uses by the Bai people of Shaxi Township (Jianchuan County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province), including their related ethnobotanical knowledge, practices, and beliefs.MethodsThe present study builds on previous ethnobotanical research in Shaxi, which started in 2005. Interviews focusing on ritual plant use and associated beliefs were carried out with a total of 44 Bai informants in September 2009 and May and June 2010. The results are supplemented with information on the local religion collected from June to December 2010. All documented species were vouchered, and are deposited at the herbaria of Kunming Institute of Botany (KUN) and the University of Zurich (Z/ZT).ResultsA total of 17 species have been documented for use in incense. They are always used in mixtures and are either burned in the form of powders in a censer or as joss sticks. The smell of the smoke is the main criterion for the selection of the incense plants. Incense is burned for communication with spiritual entities at graves, temples, and cooking stoves, as well as for personal well-being. Cupressus funebris Endl., Gaultheria fragrantissima Wall., and Ligustrum sempervirens (Franch.) Lingelsh. are the most important incense species. Others serve as substitutes or are used to stretch incense powders.ConclusionsIn Shaxi the use of incense mixtures at the household and community level is regularly practiced for communication with ancestors, ghosts, and deities and in some cases to strengthen self-awareness. Some of the documented species are widely used in central Asia and Europe, hinting at the well documented knowledge exchange that occurred in Shaxi, which was a major hub along the influential Southern Silk Road.

Large-sized Stone-sculptured Animals of the Eastern Han Period in Sichuan and the Southern Silk Road

Large-sized Stone-sculptured Animals of the Eastern Han Period in Sichuan and the Southern Silk Road

Reproductive performance of Nesolynx thymus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) as influenced by host (Musca domestica) size

An investigation was conducted to understand the influence of host size on the reproductive performance of Nesolynx thymus, an ecto-pupal parasitoid of the uzi fly, Exorista bombycis, inflicting 10–20% loss to silkworm crops in the southern silk producing states of India. Two day-old adults of N. thymus were allowed to parasitize pupae of M. domestica, categorized into big and small at a parasitoid-host ratio of 1:20. After parasitoid adult eclosion, data on parasitization rate, developmental duration, male, female and total adult recovery per pupa and per female, sex ratio, adult size and adult longevity were recorded. The performance of first generation adults as influenced by host size was also recorded by allowing the first generation adults to parasitize three day-old pupae of E. bombycis. The parameters female and total progeny production per female, sex ratio, longevity, body length and wing span of males, females, head width of male, and abdomen length of female increased significantly with host size. No impact of host size was observed on performance of first generation adults.

Analysis of the matrilineal genetic structure of population in the early Iron Age from Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, China

Ancient mtDNA data of human remains were analyzed from four early Iron Age Tarim Basin sites (Yuansha, Zaghunluq, Sampula and Niya) in the southern Silk Road region. Haplogroup distributions show that ancient Tarim Basin population was comprised of well-differentiated Western and Eastern matrilineal lineages. Some West lineage of Tarim Basin population originated from Near East and Iran region. Of the East lineages, North and Northeast Asia originated lineages were the main components, and a few Southeast Asian lineages also existed, which indicated a more extensive origin and a more complex admixture. The genetic structure of ancient Tarim Basin population is relatively close to the modern populations of Xinjiang, which implied that the early Iron Age is an important period during the formation of the modern Xinjiang population.