1. Preface -- 2. Newly Discovered Persian Sasanian Silver Coins in China -- 3. Persian Sasanian Silver Coins Unearthed in Xining, Qinghai -- 4. Persian Sasanian Silver Coins Recently Unearthed in Turfan, Xinjiang -- 5. Persian Sasanian Silver Coins in the Casket of Stupa Base in Ding County, Hebei Province -- 6. Overview of Persian Sasanian Silver Coins Unearthed in China -- 7. Research on the Sassanian Silver Plate Unearthed from the Tomb of Feng Hetu in the Northern Wei Dynasty -- 8. Sasanian Cultural Relics Unearthed in China in Recent Years -- 9. Eastern Roman Gold Coins Unearthed from the Sui Tomb at Dizhangwan, Xianyang -- 10. The Byzantine Gold Coin Unearthed from the Tang Tomb in Tumen Village, Xi’an -- 11. The Byzantine Gold Coins Unearthed from the Tomb of Li Xizong in Zanhuang -- 12. The Relationship between China and the Byzantine Empire in the Middle Ages -- 13. Arabian gold coins unearthed from Tang tombs in Xi’an -- 14. Epitaph of Su Liang’s Wife, Née Ma in the Tang Dynasty -- 15. Two Types of Script Combined on a Nestorian Tombstone from Quanzhou -- 16. Latin Tombstones in Yangzhou and Venetian Silver Coins in Canton* -- 17. Porcelain Evidence of Early Sino-African Exchange -- 18. Chinese Export Porcelain Collections in Sweden -- 19. History of Chinese-Swedish Relations -- 20. History of Chinese-Pakistani Relations -- 21. King of Anxi’s Mansion Site in the Yuan, and Arabic Magic Squares -- 22. Supplementary Study of First Introduction of Western Smallpox Vaccination into China -- 23. A Brief Discussion of Sweet Potatoes and Dioscorea -- 24. Carnelian beads with etched patterns that were excavated in China -- 25. The Study of Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and Zodiacal Signs from the Star Map of the Liao Tomb in Xuanhua -- 26. Newly Discovered Ancient Silk Fabrics in Xinjiang——Qi, Jin and Xiu⃰ -- 27. History of Ancient Chinese Sericulture: Mulberry Trees, Silkworms, Silk Fibers and Textiles -- 28. Newly Discovered Silk Textiles in Turfan -- 29. The Silk Road and Silk from theHan to the Tang -- 30. Bibliography.

This book is a collection of Nai Xia’s quintessential works on Silk Road studies. A key resource in the field of Silk Road Archaeology, it features in-depth content, a broad range of material, careful textual research, and meticulous analysis. With thorough investigations of foreign coinage, silk textiles, and artifacts with foreign styles excavated in different parts of China, it explores the exchange between ancient China and Central Asia, Western Asia, and Europe. In particular, this book provides detailed descriptions of the economic and cultural ties between ancient China, Pre-Islamic Arabia, the Sasanian Empire, and the Byzantine Empire. The research propounds innovative theories on the history and evolution of East-West transportation routes, i.e., the overland Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road. Based on the study of ancient relics and excavated artifacts, it points out that cultural exchange along the Silk Road was never unilateral, but instead, mutual influence and cooperation were obvious. Since ancient times, countries along the Silk Road have had a tradition of amicable foreign relations and the promotion of common interests. The book is intended for academics, scholars and researchers.