What is zhang qian

After escaping and continuing the journey, Zhang Qian eventually found the Yue-chi in Northern India. However, satisfied with their life, the Yue-chi refused to form an alliance against the Xiongnu. On the return journey, Zhang Qian and his delegation were captured by another tribe, and it was not until B.

Though he failed to achieve a military alliance with the Yue-chi, he was well acquainted with the geography, people, customs and cultures of the 36 kingdoms of the Western Regions. Zhang Qian , an outstanding diplomat, traveler and explorer in the Han dynasty of China was honored as the "pioneer of the silk road", "the first Chinese to open their eyes to see the world" and "the Columbus of the east".

Zhang Qian had a pioneering and adventurous spirit as well as a strong and unyielding character. In BC, with the command of Emperor Han Wudi of the Han dynasty, he led more than people to the western region and opened the north-south road to the western region, namely the famous silk road.

He spread the civilization of the central plains to the western region, and introduced the Ferghana horse, grape, alfalfa, pomegranate and flax to the central plains, which promoted the exchanges between the eastern and western civilizations. As early as years ago, at the reign of Emperor Han Wudi, Zhang Qian was dispatched on a mission to seek an alliance with peoples in the west of China to fight against the northern tribes.

Along the way, no matter how difficult the environment was, his faith was firm. But then Zhang was captured by the Huns just as he left Han territory, and was held prisoner for a dozen years. They continued to travel west without any dry food and drinking water. Due to the excellent skill of shooting arrows of his accompany, they survived by eating some birds and animals along the way.

As a result this place has Greek coins, Greek sculpture and a Greek script. Zhang Qian's presence here is the first recorded contact between the civilizations of the Far East and of the Mediterranean.

Even more surprising, the explorer finds in Bactria objects of bamboo and cloth made in southern China. They are brought here, he is told, by merchants from a land to the southeast, situated on a great river, where 'the inhabitants ride elephants when they go into battle. The envoy heads home. Arriving back through the Jade Gate, the little group astonishes the Chinese. Zhang Qian and the faithful slave are all that remain of the party which set off thirteen years previously.

The barbarian wife is an interesting addition. Zhang Qian is given high office in the imperial bureaucracy. And in view of the new information about the unknown land, another expedition is sent out. Zhang Qian reasons that if the land of the elephants is southeast of Bactria, it must be southwest of China and probably not too far away.