海上丝绸之路

The decline of the land route, as is believed, was resulted from several innate weak links. It is the deadly weak points that plunged the land route into a decline.

Yes, Tom, we must confess it, was rather proud of his honesty, poor fellow, — not having very much else to be proud of; — if he had belonged to some of the higher walks of society, he, perhaps, would have never been reduced to such straits. (114) － Uncle Tom’s Cabin

The land route was reduced to a decline on account of several weak links. The land route was plunged into a decline for its several weak links. 首先，陆路运输，只能先运至毗连的邻国。再向远运，便要穿过一连串的国家与民族。如果其中有一个国家或民族发生了变乱，或有任何一个国家为垄断丝绸贸易而操纵了这条道路，如安息(今伊朗一带)国所曾经做过的那样，就会影响到全线的畅通。而这样的变故，在那个时代是屡见不鲜的。

译文一：

If found was a turmoil in any country, or if any one controlled the route as Anxi once did for a monopoly of the silk trade, the route would be thus suspended.

Firstly, the goods had to be transported westwards, further to the the borders of several countries and nations, during which time either the turmoil arising in any one of them, or a complete control taken by any as Anxi (approximately occupying present Ira) once did for a monopoly of silk trade, such incidents commonly seen at a time of chaos, might break down the whole chain.

其次，陆上“丝绸之路”位于我国西北，地处内陆，只能向西外传。而我国主要外销产品，如丝绸、瓷器、茶叶等等的产区，都远在东南沿海。陆路外运，既不经济，又不方使。何况,对于环太平洋地区各国,陆上“丝绸之路”是无法到达的。

Secondly, the routes extended westward the landlocked regions, far from the southeast coast where the goods exported like silk, china and tea were mainly produced. A long distance therefore definitely added more spending and inconvenience.

再次，陆路的自然条件十分恶劣,要越过葱岭和戈壁沙漠，风沙弥漫,行程艰苦，运输量有限，而且时间久、运费高。这些致命的弱点了陆上“丝绸之路”的发展。

Finally, the route ran through the Pamirs and the Gobi Desert, the natural barriers which rendered the journey, bathed in sand and storms, a tough one, hence increasing the costs, consuming much time, and making transporting large stock of goods at one time a mission impossible.

Finally, the route’s running through the Pamirs and the Gobi Desert, the natural barriers, rendered the journey/conveyance, bathed in sand and storms, a tough one, on account of which, large stock of goods cannot be transported at one time, and the costs increased, much time consumed.

陆路的缺点，恰正是海路的优点。我国东南部有一万八千多公里的漫长的海岸线，有许多终年不冻的良港。陆路能够到达的国家，海路大都可以到达。陆路不能到达的许多海岛国家，海路也能到达。

Compared with the land route, the maritime ones enjoyed more advantages as many good ice-free ports, scattered/dotted along China’s long coastline of over 18 thousand kilometers, enabled the ships to reach most of the countries and regions, if not all, accessible by land, and even get to some island countries inaccessible by it.

海路也不象陆路那样易受别国牵制，可以自由通航，越过那些发生变乱或别有企图的国家。

In addition, the shipping routes could be more flexible as the ships could make a detour to keep away from those countries in turmoil or ill-intentioned.

加之海运靠近外销商品的生产地，运载量也比骆驼之类的运载工具不知要大多少倍，运费低廉，安全可靠，显示出了“海上丝绸之路”的巨大优越性。

A short distance to the home of the goods exported, large amounts of goods that could be loaded, low costs of shipping, together with its safety, all made the Maritime Silk Road appealing, a hit at a time.