Yancai

Yancai (Chinese: 奄蔡; pinyin: Yancai; Wade–Giles: Yen-ts’ai; literally: "Vast Steppe") was the Chinese name of an ancient nomadic state centered near the Aral Sea during the Han dynasty period (206 BC - 220 AD). They are generally considered to have been an Iranian people of the Sarmatian group. After becoming vassals of the Kangju in the 1st century BC, Yancai became known as Alanliao (Chinese: 阿蘭聊; pinyin: Alanliao; Wade–Giles: A-lan-ya/A-lan-liao). Yancai is often connected to the Aorsi of Roman records, while Alanliao has been connected to the later Alans.

Yancai is first mentioned in Chapter 123 of the Shiji (whose author, Sima Qian, died c. 90 BC), based on the travels of 2nd century BC Chinese diplomat Zhang Qian:

Yancai lies some 2,000 li [832 km] northwest of Kangju. The people are nomads and their customs are generally similar to those of the people of Kangju. The country has over 100,000 archer warriors, and borders on a great shoreless lake.

The people of Yancai are usually considered an Iranian people of the Sarmatian group. They are often connected to the Aorsi of Roman records, who dominated the area between the Don and the Aral Sea and were both a wealthy mercantile people and a powerful military force. According to Chinese sources, Yancai belonged to the northern part of the Silk Route, known as the Northern Route. The Chinese sent embassies to Yancai and actively promoted trading relations.

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