Papermaking, gunpowder, printing and compass are the Four Great Inventions of ancient China that have exerted a great and far-reaching impact on the entire world. The invention of paper greatly contributed to the spread and development of civilization. The birth of gunpowder was quite accidental. It was invented inadvertently by alchemists while attempting to make an elixir. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, gunpowder was used in military affairs, and was spread to all over the world in the 13th century. On the basis of printing in the Tang Dynasty, BiSheng in the Northern Song Dynasty invented the movable-type printing, which lauched a great revolution in the history of printing.Natural magnets were made into the first direction-finding compass by ancient Chinese people, which greatly improved a ship's ability to navigate over long distances.

　　絲綢之路(the Silk Road)不僅是古代重要的貿易通道，也是一座連接中西方文化的橋梁。通過絲綢之路，中國的四大發明傳到了西方，而西方的宗教信仰也傳到了中國。自從漢朝張騫開辟了舉世聞名的絲綢之路，到元朝的滅亡，它大約經歷了1600年的歷史。絲綢之路起始于長安，穿過河西走廊(Hexi Corridor)，到達敦煌，在那里絲綢之路被分成了三條線路—南線、中線和北線。這三條線路遍及新疆維吾爾自治區(Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region)，并向外延伸，擴展到了巴基斯坦、印度，甚至羅馬。

　　The Silk Road is not only a vital ancient traderoute，but also a bridge linking the cultures of Chinaand the West,through which the Four GreatInventions of China and religious beliefs of the Westwere introduced into their counterparts.From ZhangQian opening up the world-famous Silk Road during the Han Dynasty，to the collapse of theYuan Dynasty，it experienced a history of about 1,600 years.The Silk Road begins atChang'an，and then by way of Hexi Corridor，it reaches Dunhuang, where it divides into threebranches-the Southern Route，Central Route and Northern Route.The three Routes spread allover Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region，and extend as far as Pakistan，India and evenRome.

　　唐朝(the Tang Dynasty)是中國歷史上統一時間最長，國力最強盛的朝代之一。唐朝全盛時期在文化，科技，政治，經濟，外交等方面都取得了很高的成就。中國歷史上有大量的科技發明，四大發明中有兩個，即火藥和活字印刷(movable-type printing),都誕生于唐朝。這一時期文學發展達到高峰，其中詩歌最為興盛，唐詩至今仍家喻戶曉。海外的華僑華人往往稱自己是“唐人”，他們聚居的地方便被稱為“唐人街”。每逢春節，這里都要耍龍燈(dragon-lantern show),舞獅子，仍然保留著中國的傳統風俗。

　　The Tang Dynasty is one of the dynasties which hadbeen unified for the longest time and had thestrongest national power in Chinese history.In itsheyday, the Tang Dynasty gained greatachievements in culture,science andtechnology,politics, economy and diplomacy.In histoiy, China had many scientific andtechnological inventions, among which gunpowder and the movable-type printing of the FourGreat Inventions were invented in the Tang Dynasty.Literature reached its peak at that time,especially poetry.And Tang poems are still widely known now.Overseas Chinese and ethnicChinese often call themselves “Tang People”，and the place where they live is called“Chinatown”.During the Spring Festival, traditional Chinese customs, such as dragon-lanternshow and lion dance, are still kept there.