Mary Braden Murphy
Central Asia
Scudder
21 April 2016
The Rise and Impact of the Sogdian Traders
Over two-thousand years ago the Silk Road served as a trading route between eastern and western cultures. It officially began in 130 BCE during the Han dynasty in China and flourished until 1453 CE (Mark). One group in particular dominated the route and became incredibly influential in trading commodities and culture. The Sogdians were Iranian people who reigned on the Silk Road from the 2nd century BCE to the 10th century CE (Eduljee). This group of skilled traders had the most cross-cultural trade with the Chinese and the Turks. While they held power, their influence reached many people and they were highly regarded by the east and the west. Eventually, as political unrest ensued, the Sogdians quickly disappeared; however, their impact remained in tact.
The Sogdians inhabited Sogdiana, present day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (Vaissière). This location “in Asia made it possible for the Sogdians to become significant merchants on the Silk Road. Sogdiana was surrounded by China to its east, India to its south, and the Steppes to its north. They were surrounded by all the main areas where trading flourished” (“The Sogdians of the Silk Road”). The connection between the east and the west that the Sogdians helped create was a turning point in the history of involved countries, especially the Chinese. With the opening of the Silk Road, China allowed itself interaction with others and began to export their goods. There were no better merchants to help China do this than the Sogdians. Their community revolved around trading:
Chinese stories of the Sogdians describe them as born to their trade: ‘At birth honey was put in their mouths and gum on their hands … they learned the trade from the age of five … on reaching the age of twelve they were sent to do business in a neighbouring state.’ The Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang described them as farmers and traders, carpet makers, glass-makers and woodcarvers. He rather approved of the fact that little boys in Samarkand were taught to read and write at the age of five, even if it was in the service of their commercial skills (Wood 66).
The Sogdians quickly began to dominate the Silk Road and other countries recognized and respected this. They became so popular that “the Khotanese called all merchants suli (Sogdian) whether they were or not. Their language, related to Aramaic, became the common language of trade along the Silk Roads” (Wood 66).
The Sogdians were responsible for the transport of many highly sought after commodities. Ancient Sogdians letters found show that the merchants traded linen clothing, woolen cloth, musk, gold, wine, pepper, silver metal, and precious silk (“The Sogdians of the Silk Road”). To be able to move so many goods, and to so many people, the Sogdians had to have a remarkable business set up. Some sources maintain “sources, that in the fourth century AD they may have managed a sort of triangle of trade, possibly a monopoly trade,between Indian and Sogdiana and India and China” (Wood 67). To pull off their operation, the Sogdians were “organized within networks” and thus “worked on a small and large scale” simultaneously (“Sogdian Trade”, “The Sogdians of the Silk Road”). This worked to their advantage as they were able to maintain relationships with countries in a personalized yet efficient manner.
The Sogdians did not only transport goods, but they were incredibly influential in the spread of religion. Primarily, “the Sogdians’ faith was a syncretic mix of Zoroastrian and Mesopotamian beliefs, tinged with Hinduism” (Thubron 197). There is evidence that the Sogdians brought these religions, along with Buddhism, with them on their trading excursions. Temples found in China and Buddhist texts translated to Chinese are credited to the Sogdians. Their religious impact was profound and can still be seen today as Buddhism is still highly prevalent in China today.
In addition to religion, the Sogdians engaged in a large amount of cultural exchange. This occurred mostly with the Chinese and the Turks. Many Sogdians immigrated to China and began adopting Chinese customs, specifically regarding funeral practices that contradicted their Zoroastrian religion. Eventually, the Sogdians were so assimilated into Chinese society that the “Sogdians of Dunhuang were respected members of society, many having taken up agriculture, and they were sometimes given Chinese titles” (Wood 67). Additionally, the Sogdians brought western traditions, such as women’s dressing, to China where is was adopted. The Turks also gained a lot from the Sogdians such as writing. The Sogdian alphabet was used for some Turkish texts (“The Sogdians of the Silk Road”). While the Sogdians had less contact with the Turks as they did with the Chinese, their culture still had a profound impact.
As successful as the Sogdians had been, the eighth century proved devastating to their trading. A Sogdian man who worked his way up in the Chinese army led a rebellion in 755 that “nearly destroyed the Tang dynasty” (Vaissière).While many Sogdians did partake in the rebellion, others sided with the Chinese; however, “even if part of the Sogdians remained loyal to the Tang, they started to hide their foreign origins” (“Sogdian Trade”). It is believed that the Sogdians moved away or buried themselves deep within China. Their remarkable trading ventures ceased and “although some Sogdian merchants traveling to China are still mentioned in the first third of the 10th century, they disappeared afterwards” (“Sogdian Trade”).
No matter their disappearance, the Sogdians dominated the Silk Road for hundreds of years and have left a remarkable imprint on history. Their knack for trade was regarded highly by nearly all who encountered them. The Sogdians transported a variety of sought after commodities. Trading was conducted within small scale networks that allowed them to reach both the east and the west. With such power, this group of traders had the incredibly significant role of spreading religion and culture in a variety of ways. Although there were others, the Chinese and the Turks most closely participated in an exchange of culture with the Sogdians. As all things do, the Sogdian community came to an end and ultimately disappeared. Traces of the Sogdians can still be found today, demonstrating their profound impact on the Silk Road and Central Asia. The Sogdians were responsible for opening countries up to engage with others in a way they never had, which ultimately changed their culture and political relationships to this day. .
Works Cited
Eduljee, K. E. "Sogdian Trade." Zoroastrian Heritage. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.
Lukonin, Vladimir, and Ivanov, Anatoly. Temporis : Central Asian Art. New York, NY, USA: Parkstone International, 2012. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 10 April 2016.
Mark, Joshua J. "Silk Road." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
"Sogdian Trade." Encyclopædia Iranica. N.p., 20 July 2004. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.
"The Sogdians of the Silk Road." Web log post. Blogspot. N.p., 4 Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.
Thubron, Colin. Shadow of the Silk Road. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2007. Print.
Vaissière, Étienne De La. "Sogdians in China: A Short History and Some New Discoveries." The Silk Road. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
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Wood, Frances. The Silk Road: Two Thousand Years in the Heart of Asia. Berkeley: U of California, 2002. Print.