香丝之路:阿曼与中国的早期交流——兼答对“丝绸之路”的质疑

Frankincense and Silk Roads--Oman’s Early Communication with China

公元1世纪中写成的《红海周航记》记载,阿曼-提?(今卡拉奇)航线是中国蚕丝产品向西转输要道,乳香等阿曼特产以及从阿曼转口的其他域外物品亦经此道传到中国。由这些早期的传播交流,遂有1世纪"甘英使大秦"促成阿曼(蒙奇、兜勒)遣使中国建立国家关系。阿曼是古代丝绸之路海陆两道联通路网的交通枢纽;和罗马金币一样,阿曼乳香、中国丝绸都曾担任古代世界经贸交流的等价物,一起支撑了古"丝绸之路"经济带的运作。

The Periplus Maris Erythraeiwritten in the first century AD records that the Oman-Daybul/Debal(now Karachi)route was the main route for the transfer of Chinese silk products to the West.Meanwhile,Oman’sspecial products such as frankincense and other extra-territorial items re-exported from Oman were alsotransmitted through this route to China.As the consequence of these early communications,in the first century,Gan Ying’s commission to Daqin(the Roman Empire)caused Oman(Magan and Dhofar)to send China envoy to establish the state relations.Oman was the transportation hub of the ancient Silk Road’s sea and land network.Like Roma’s gold coins,Omani frankincense and Chinese silk both served as the equivalent of ancient worldeconomic and trade exchanges,supporting the operation of the ancient Silk Road economic belt.