During the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BCE), trade in ancient China was facilitated by the development of a network of roads, waterways, and canals, as well as the use of standardized bronze coinage. The Zhou dynasty also saw the growth of a sophisticated system of credit, in which merchants could use letters of credit (called " flying money") to conduct transactions without having to transport large amounts of physical coinage. Additionally, the Zhou government established a system of government-run warehouses, known as "government granaries," which served as a way to stabilize prices and promote trade by providing a source of surplus grain for merchants to buy and sell. Finally, the Zhou dynasty saw the expansion of foreign trade, as the Chinese began trading with other cultures along the Silk Road and other overland and maritime trade routes.
