During the Han dynasty, the goods that were most likely imported to or exported from China along the Silk Road included:
- Silk: This was a major export from China, highly sought after by other cultures along the Silk Road.
- Porcelain: While its trade was more prominent in later periods, the early forms of porcelain were already being traded during the Han dynasty.
- Spices: Various spices from the West (such as those from India and the Middle East) were imported to China, where they were valued for culinary and medicinal purposes.
- Horses: China imported horses from the Central Asian steppes, as they were highly valued for military and agricultural purposes.
The other goods mentioned (cotton, gold, silver) were less likely to be significant in trade during the Han dynasty compared to those listed above. Cotton, for instance, was not widely cultivated in China until much later. Gold and silver might have been traded, but were not the primary focus of Silk Road commerce in that era.