Ayitusun Sudan，PAN Zhi － ping
(School of Marxism，Xinjiang University，Urumqi，Xinjiang，830046，China)
Abstract: Silk Road is the ancient trade route that linked Eurasian continent just like a network． The trade route from Yarkand in southern Xinjiang to Ladakh in western Tibet is an important branch of ancient Silk Road to South Asia． Though with hardships and dangers on the trade route，there were busy tradings along Yarkand － Ladakh section． Shahidolla，a small town between the two high mountains，namely Kunlun and Karakoram，was a hub on the route． There were three ways from Yarkand to Shahidolla，namely Sanju，Kiliyan and Yul － erik roads．Shahidolla was linked to Ladakh mainly by the Changchenrimo road and Karako-rum daban road． Modern Xinjiang － Tibet Road goes by and large along the Karghalik － Yul － erik －Shahi-dolla － Changchenrimo route，then goes west to Lahsa． The Qing government levied moderate trade tax on traders from Ladakh． Precious goods were mainly traded between Yarkand and Ladakh． Before the end of the Qing Dynasty，Ladakh was occupied by the British，but trade along Yarkand － Ladakh route continued，however，it had become international trade between China and Britain． During the Anti － Japanese War，national government of China transported，through this route，military aid materials from allied nations that were stranded in India，which may be the most glorious scene on the ancient road．
Key words: Silk Road; Yarkan; Ladakh