I will address the first question regarding the Mongol Empire's system of communication and trade routes and their contribution to cultural exchanges between different regions.
The Mongol Empire established an extensive network of trade routes known as the Silk Road, facilitating not only commerce but also the exchange of ideas, technologies, and cultures. One significant impact was the spread of artistic styles; for example, the use of Persian motifs and designs influenced Chinese ceramic art during the Yuan Dynasty. Another example is the transmission of scientific knowledge, particularly in the fields of astronomy and medicine, where ideas from the Islamic Golden Age reached East Asia, leading to advancements in Chinese medicine and a better understanding of the cosmos. Lastly, the Mongol Empire played a critical role in the spread of religions, notably Buddhism and Islam, which traversed the empire's territories, leading to increased interactions and the blending of religious practices across regions, such as the incorporation of Buddhist themes into Mongolian culture and vice versa. Thus, the Mongol communication system not only connected vast distances but also created a melting pot of cultural exchanges that profoundly shaped the societies involved.