An amalgamation of different religions, philosophies and schools of thought, Tang arts and crafts reflected a kaleidoscope of international influences that were absorbed mostly through conquest and trade. Tang armies provided safer access along the Silk Road, which maintained the flow of goods and ideas between China, Central Asia, India, and Persia. A complex network of maritime routes linked Chinese ports, such as Guangzhou, to India, the Persian Gulf, and the east coast of Africa. Tomb mural paintings and figure sculpture show the effect of foreign products on the fashions, accessories and cultural habits of the Tang elite. Exposure to outside influence also proved to be an important stimulus to Chinese painters and sculptors, notably in the eighth century during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (ruled 712–56), a period which is seen as the classical period of Chinese visual art and literature. This era set the standards to which generations of later Chinese artists aspired.