Page "History of East Asia" Paragraph 20

A plethora of large empires, civilizations, and cultures that have existed on the Asian continent were influenced by the Silk Road, which connected China, India, the Middle East and Europe.

Hinduism and Buddhism, which both began in India, were important influences on South and East Asia.

Christianity, Nestorianism in particular, came to China via the Silk Road.

While it had a significant presence in the Central Asia, it did not gain any significance in China and East Asia until modern missionaries from Europe and North America arrived in the 19th century.

On the contrary, the Silk Road passed Chinese products and inventions to the Western regions, including paper: papermaking originated in China and is considered one of Four Great Inventions.

It gained notoriety in the Middle East after the Battle of Talas between the Arabs and the Chinese Tang Dynasty in 751.