Zhang Qian

Zhang Qian 張騫
Zhang Qian taking leave from emperor Han Wudi, for his expedition to Central Asia from 138 to 126 BC, Mogao Caves mural, 618 - 712.
Born	200 BC Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China
Died	113 BC (aged 86/7) China
Occupation	Explorer

Zhang Qian
"Zhang Qian" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese	張騫
Simplified Chinese	张骞
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhāng Qiān Gwoyeu Romatzyh Jang Chian Wade–Giles Chang1 Ch'ien1 IPA [ʈʂáŋ tɕʰjɛ́n] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Jēung Hīn Jyutping Zoeng1 Hin1 Southern Min Tâi-lô Tiong Khuann Middle Chinese Middle Chinese ɖjang kʰjen Old Chinese Baxter-Sagart *C.traŋ C.qʰra[n]

Zhang Qian (Chinese: 張騫; d. 113 BC) was a Chinese official and diplomat who served as an imperial envoy to the world outside of China in the 2nd century BC, during the time of the Han dynasty. He was the first official diplomat to bring back reliable information about Central Asia to the Chinese imperial court, then under Emperor Wu of Han, and played an important pioneering role in the Chinese colonization and conquest of the region now known as Xinjiang.

Today Zhang Qian's travels are associated with the major route of transcontinental trade, the Silk Road. In essence, his missions opened up to China the many kingdoms and products of a part of the world then unknown to the Chinese. Zhang Qian's accounts of his explorations of Central Asia are detailed in the Early Han historical chronicles, Records of the Grand Historian, compiled by Sima Qian in the 1st century BC. The Central Asian sections of the Silk Road routes were expanded around 114 BC largely through the missions and explorations of Zhang Qian. Today Zhang Qian is considered a national hero and revered for the key role he played in opening China to the world of commercial trade.

Zhang Qian was born in Chenggu district just east of Hanzhong in the north central province of Shaanxi, China. He entered the capital, Chang'an, today's Xi'an, between 140 BC and 134 BC as a Gentleman (郎), serving Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. At the time the nomadic Xiongnu tribes controlled what is now Inner Mongolia and dominated the Western Regions, Xiyu (西域), the areas neighbouring the territory of the Han Dynasty. The Han emperor was interested in establishing commercial ties with distant lands but outside contact was prevented by the hostile Xiongnu.