The Silk Road Festival Honoring Zhang Qian

The Good Girls were part of a group hosted by Shaanxi Tourism who were driven by bus to Raojiaying Village, Bowang Town, an off the beaten path village in Chenggu County. 

We were to attend a festival honoring the great diplomat, Zhang Qian, who pioneered the Ancient Silk Road 2,100 years ago. Other than that explanation, we had no idea what to expect, something that makes travel in China exciting. 

The entrance to the Silk Road Memorial Festival

Before writing this post, I did a little research on the Silk Road which I now share. The Silk Road is considered the world’s most iconic network of ancient trade routes connecting Asia, Europe and Africa, both by land and sea.

The Silk Road paved the way for global trade; rich cultural, scientific, technological and religious exchanges, and shaped our interconnected world.

Map of the Silk Road

The overland Silk Road spans over 5,000 miles, crisscrossing Central Asia passing through Turkey, Greece to Italy in Mediterranean Europe. The so-called world’s first superhighway wove through deserts, oases, grasslands, mountains and forests.

Its maritime routes extended east to Korea and Japan, south to India, the African coast, Middle East and Southeast Asia.

And yes, the route was named after the silk fiber discovered in 200 B.C. by Empress Hsi Ling Shi while sipping tea under a mulberry tree.

The Ceremony Begins

Ready for the ceremony to begin.

Little did we know we would be watching a formal ceremony of great magnitude including diplomats, high ranking officials who would present offerings amid a cast of hundreds of performers. 

No sooner had we arrived than we encountered the official group of ceremonial leaders lined up near a statue of Zhang Qian. 

Costume Participants line up before the festival begins.

We were also given yellow silk scarves as honored guests.  

The Good Girls were honored guests.

Zhang Qian

Zhang Qian was born in Chenggu during the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-24 AD). He was an outstanding envoy and explorer in Chinese history, opening up the ancient Silk Road and bringing reliable information about the Western Regions. 

Statue of Zhang Qian in  Chenggu

Zhang Qian made two epic journeys to the Western Regions covering many of the countries in Central Asia and the Middle East, including Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and India. Alfalfa, walnuts, pomegranates, and superior breeds of horses were just a few of the goods introduced into China. Meanwhile, Central Asia and Western Asia came to know more about Chinese culture and products, especially silk. Zhang Qian died in 114 B.C.

The site of Zhang Qian's Tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

My group meandered toward the front of Zhang Qian’s tomb, an inner sanctuary that rests above a flight of stairs. We waited and waited for the ceremonies to begin. 

Tomb of Zhang Qian

But, the temperature began to turn quite warm, and we and many of the dancers and performers started hunting for shaded areas. 

Trying to find shade on a sunny day.

While we looked for shade, the officials never moved-- throughout the entire memorial service. 

Officials standing their ground.  Good Girls were in the group just behind them.

One group of friendly school children engaged us despite the language barrier. They posed and begged to have their photos taken. 

We had to guess what each act in the festival meant, as we couldn’t understand a word. 


I presume, in place of real animal sacrifices, ceramic or papier mache figures were presented. They were carried on platters then surrounded by colorful fruit. 

Presenting the sacrificial animal. 

Dignitaries presented these and dancers paid homage to the altar, tomb and distinguished guests. Some dancers carried large pitchers, other swords, while others simply danced. The children sang. 

The colorful ceremonies proceed.

This group of performers presented pitchers. 

Judy and I watched in awe, juggling to find a place to capture photos. Unfortunately, the Chinese photographers boldly stepped in front of the performers' faces. I must say I found their brashness annoying, but none of them were pushed aside. I guess they were doing their job. 

I cannot begin to tell you what the various dances meant, but all the costumes and performers were beautiful, passionate and dedicated to the moment.

The dancers performed with passion.

After a few hours of this pomp and ceremony, we grew weary. We will long remember being there on this special day and observing what I believe is an important annual memorial honoring a Chinese hero of great significance. 

I felt we had been given a rare opportunity to witness an authentic memorial. I am sure many Americans would be eager to see the ceremonies, but at this point, I don’t think the event is open to the public. 

Following lunch in a nearby hotel along with the dignitaries, we took to the streets of town and captured some of the locals going about their daily life.