Following the Famous Silk Roads

The Silk Roads were a network of ancient trade routes that extended from East Asia all the way to the Mediterranean. A key section of the Silk Roads is the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor（走廊）, which stretches over a distance of around 5,000 kilometres through China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, covering a total of 8,700 kilometres of trade routes. The three countries jointly pursued an application for UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) status which contained detailed research on the 33 sites along the corridor. This made history as the first successful multinational World Heritage application.

The starting point of the corridor and the entire Silk Roads network is Xi’an, in Shanxi Province. Further west on the Silk Roads, the geography gradually changes from wild deserts to high, snow-capped mountains to vast grasslands as the routes pass through the Tianshan Mountains and emerge in the valleys of Central Asia. Although the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor of the Silk Roads ends here, the network continues westwards until it reaches the Mediterranean.

The corridor began to develop in the 2nd century. Assigned by the emperor, the ambassador Zhang Qian journeyed from Chang’an to Central Asia, seeking to build bridges between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions. Following Zhang’s efforts, trade routes took shape and relationships were strengthened between the major powers of the time, with the routes network reaching as far as the Roman Empire.

Economic activities along the routes network were not limited to trade in silk. They contributed many other items to the marketplace of goods. The routes were busy with camels carrying loads of goods and businessmen selling everything imaginable. China’s exports included silk, porcelain, ironware and tea, while horses, jewellery, spices and grapes were all imported over vast distances from the West.

In addition to trade exchange, the network served as a bridge for cultural exchange which shaped the evolution of science, art, technology and many other areas in societies along the network. Astronomy and mathematics were introduced to China from India and Arabia; important Chinese inventions such as papermaking and printing were brought to the West.

All of these activities contributed to a great age of expansion as trade and cultural exchanges gave people access to new goods, knowledge and ideas. These routes connected Eastern and Western civilizations, which achieved a shared development. The addition of the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor to the UNESCO World Heritage List is a milestone in recognition of the Silk Roads as a crucial part of humanity’s common heritage.

Many things make the 2022 World Cup one of the most unique world cups in the history of football. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most interesting facts about the 2022 World Cup that make it unique in every way.

1. Application of the new technology

Earlier this year Adidas revealed “Al Rihla,” the official match ball of the 2022 World Cup. Al Rihla translates as “the journey” in Arabic and it is designed to support the highest game speeds as it travels faster in flight than any FIFA World Cup ball created before it in the tournament’s 92-year history. The new ball features the latest Adidas Suspension System at its core, containing a motion sensor that tracks every touch of the game at a rate of 500 times per second.

2. Record number of visitors

One of the most interesting facts about FIFA 2022 in Qatar is the number of visitors expected to arrive in the country during the event. As expected, the 2022 World Cup Qatar will probably receive a record number of visitors by the time the tournament ends. The reason behind this is simple to understand. Being one of the best countries in the Middle East, Qatar is also located right in the center of the world and close to most of the countries in the world.

3. Stadium is equipped with Centralized Air Conditioning

While the World Cup is nearly impossible to hold during the summer given the fact that temperatures in Qatar can touch 50 degrees Celsius, switching to the winter slot has brought some peace. However, is the problem solved? As far as winter is concerned, even daytime temperatures during winter can be quite high. Therefore, Qatar has found a solution to this. For the first time, the country host the World Cup in an air-conditioned stadium. All eight stadiums are fully air-conditioned, providing fans with a comfortable viewing experience.

Louis Vuitton, commonly shortened to LV, is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton was the best known designer of leather goods in the history of France. In 1854, he opened the first suitcase store with his own name in Paris. Louis Vuitton became a legend in the art of travel by creating luggage, bags and accessories as they were elegant and practical. Later on, it has enjoyed a huge success since 1896 and played a starring role in the development of modern luxury.

It constantly introduced and created new and original designs to meet the demands of customers. That is to say, it is innovation that shapes the story of Louis Vuitton.

Now, the label’s LV monogram appears on most of its products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, sunglasses. Louis Vuitton is one of the world’s leading international fashion houses; it sells its products through stand-alone boutiques (专卖店), high-end department stores, and the e-commerce section of its website Louis Vuitton.com. For seven years in a row (2006-2012) Louis Vuitton has been named the world’s most valuable luxury brand.

In February 1998, Louis Vuitton, the world’s first flagship store opened in Paris; then London’s Bond Street is also the second opening. The same year in August and September, the third and fourth flagship store respectively opened in Japan and in New York. In 1999, Louis Vuitton opened a flagship store in Hong Kong, covering two floors with 6600 square meters. Continually expanding, Louis Vuitton today boasts 13 production workshops, an international logistics center (物流中心), more than 300 exclusive shops in 50 countries and employs 9, 500 people throughout the world, 60% of whom are based outside France.