In spite of its name, silk was not the most important commodity traversing the Silk Road. That honor fell to religion. Along the northern branch of the route, Buddhism made its way from India to China in the fourth and fifth centuries. Christianity also made an appearance in the seventh century, when merchants carried the faith from northern Iran to Changan.

虽然名为“丝绸之路”，丝绸却并不是穿过该路线运送的最重要的“商品”。这项荣誉应归于宗教。 公元第四、五世纪时，佛教沿着路线的北支从印度传入中国。基督教也在公元七世纪时，由商人从伊朗北 部传到长安，首次在中土出现。

(短文节选,本篇始于：长相“丝”守)