Person
Zhang Qian
Zhang Qian was a Han dynasty envoy sent west by Emperor Wu around 138 BCE to seek an alliance with the Yuezhi against the Xiongnu. Held captive by the Xiongnu for years, he reached Dayuan, Kangju and Bactria and returned in 126 BCE; a later mission went to the Wusun. His reports gave China its first detailed knowledge of Central Asia and opened the way for the Silk Road.
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Mentioned in 4 state histories
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- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Zhang Qian. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zhang-qian
- MLA
- “Zhang Qian.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zhang-qian. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Zhang Qian.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zhang-qian.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Zhang Qian’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zhang-qian (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻