The title "Silk Road" refers to the author's journey along a route similar to the ancient Silk Road trade route, which was used for trading silk and other goods across Asia, Europe, and Africa. The mention of ferocious Tibetan mastiffs being brought along the Silk Road as tribute from Tibet to China's imperial courts is one reference to the historical trade route. The snow-clad roads and white topography in the article can also give the impression of raw silk being everywhere, connecting the author's journey and the historical trade route.