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ZHANG QIAN"张骞" 
An imperial envoy to the outside world.
In the 2nd century BC,the silk road was originated for military and political purposes instead of trade.Zhang Qian,a court official was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions in Han Dynasty(206BC-AD220)by Han Wu Ti,the emperor,in order to seek allies to against Xiongnu's repeated invasion.Zhang Qian was born in the 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, serving the emperor.
On the way to western regions,Zhang Qian was captured by the Xiongnu and was detained for ten years.he continued his journey to the central asia after he escaped from the Xiongnu's detention.the information Zhang Qian conveyed to china about central Asia,and vice versa,made people from each area desired goods product in the other although the mission failed in its original purpose when the local rulers in central asia were satisfied with their status and refused to ally with Han Empire.
   
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 8:13 PM |
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The Silk Road "丝绸之路"
The silk road is an interconnected series of ancient trade routes connecting Chang'an(today's Xi'an)It was named in the middle of the 19th century by the German scholar,Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen and was regarded as the greatest East-West trade route.It serve not only as the conduit for goods but also for the transmission of knowledge and ideas between east and west.
Extending over 8,000 km (5,000 miles) on land and sea,the route enabled people to transport trade goods from different parts of the country in China.Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the great civilizations of China, Egypt, Persia, India, Rome as well as Byzantium and helped to lay the foundations for the modern world in several respects, not least in spurring the Age of Discovery(a period when Europeans explored the world by ocean searching for trading partners and particular trade goods)
The silk road experienced its last era during the time of Mongolia Empire.This acient trade route starts in the old capital of Luoyang and Xian(Chang'an), to the Yellow River of Lanzhou, dividing into three routes at the oasis of Dunhuang after moving westward along deserts and mountains.Great part of it threads through Xinjiang.
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 9:25 PM |
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Dayuan(Ferghana)"大宛"The first country Zhang Qian visited after his captivity among the xiongnu was Dayuan,in Ferghana. "Dayuan lies southwest of the territory of the Xiongnu, some 10,000 li(5,000 kilometers) directly west of China. The people are settled on the land, plowing the fields and growing rice and wheat. They also make wine out of grapes. The people live in houses in fortified cities, there being some seventy or more cities of various sizes in the region. The population numbers several hundred t  housand" (S hiji<<史记>>,123, Zhang Qian quote, trans. Burton Watson). |
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 10:44 PM |
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Yuezhi"月氏"
Zhang Qian went southwest to the territory of the Yuezhi with whom he was supposed to obtain a military alliance against the Xiongnu after obtaining the help of the king of Dayuan
"The Great Yuezhi live some 2,000 or 3,000 li (1,000 or 1,500 kilometers) west of *Dayuan, north of the Gui river(the longest river in Central asia).They are bordered to the south by *Daxia(Bactria),on the west by *Anxi (Parthia),and on the north by *Kangju. They are a nation of nomads, moving place to place with their herds and their customs are like those of the Xiongnu. They have some 100,000 or 200,000 archer warriors."(Shiji<<史记>>,123, Zhang Qian quote, trans. Burton Watson).
He also explained and describe the origins of Yuezhi.Coming from the eastern part or the Tarim Basin"塔里木"( closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans occupying an area of more than 400,000 km² in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.)which lead the historian to connect to Caucasoid mummies and Indo-European-speaking Tocharians from Tarim Basin.
"The Yuezhi originally lived in the area between the Qilian or Heavenly Mountains(Tian Shan) and Dunhuang,but after they were defeated by the Xiongnu they moved far away to the west, beyond Dayuan (Ferghana), where they attacked the people of Daxia (Bactria) and set up the court of their king on the northern bank of the Gui (Oxus) river."(Shiji<<史记>>,123, Zhang Qian quote, tra ns. Bur ton Watson). |
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 11:21 PM |
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Daxia (Bactria)"大夏"
A country in northern Afghanistan,in Antiquity famous for its feirce warriors and its acient religion.Their civilization was urban, almost identical to the civilizations of Parthia and Dayuan, and the population was numerous.
"Daxia is situated over 2,000 li (1,000 kilometers) southwest of Dayuan (Ferghana), south of the Gui (Oxus) river. Its people cultivate the land, and have cities and houses. Their customs are like those of Dayuan. It has no great ruler but only a number of petty chiefs ruling the various cities. The people are poor in the use of arms and afraid of battle, but they are clever at commerce. After the Great Yuezhi moved west and attacked and conquered Daxia, the entire country came under their sway. The population of the country is large, numbering some 1,000,000 or more persons. The capital is Lanshi(Bactra)where all sorts of goods are bought and sold." (Shi ji<<史记>>, 123, Zhang Qian quote , trans. Burton Wats on).
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 8:10 PM |
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Shendu (India)"身毒"
The name 'shendu' come's from the Sanskrit word 'sindhu' which people in the province of Singh(Pakistan) used.At the time,Sindh was one of the most advance regions in India.It practised separate authority.
Shendu and Bactria was reported to had similar cultures because parts of Northwestern India was ruled by the Indo-Greek Kingdom at the time.
"Anxi is situated several thousand li west of the region of the Great Yuezhi. The people are settled on the land, cultivating the fields and growing rice and wheat. They also make wine out of grapes. They have walled cities like the people of Dayuan (Ferghana), the region contains several hundred cities of various sizes. The coins of the country are made of silver and bear the face of the king. When the king dies, the currency is immediately changed and new coins issued with the face of his successor. The people keep records by writing on horizontal strips of leather. To the west lies Tiaozhi (Mesopotamia) and to the north Yancai and Lixuan.(Shiji,123, Zhang Qian quote, trans. Burto n Watson).   |
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 10:04 PM |
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Parthia was identified by Zhang Qian as an advanced urban civilization "Anxi is situated several thousand li west of the region of the Great Yuezhi. The people are settled on the land, cultivating the fields and growing rice and wheat. They also make wine out of grapes. They have walled cities like the people of Dayuan (Ferghana), the region contains several hundred cities of various sizes. The coins of the country are made of silver and bear the face of the king. When the king dies, the currency is immediately changed and new coins issued with the face of his successor. The people keep records by writing on horizontal strips of leather. To the west lies Tiaozhi (Mesopotamia) and to the north Yancai and Lixuan (Hyrcania)."(Shiji,123, Zhang Qian quote, trans. Burton Watson).
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 8:08 PM |
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Tiaozhi(Mesopotamia)"條支"
Zhang Qian did'nt report much about Mesopotamia,and was onlty able to report other's accounts because he didn't really go there.
"Tiaozhi (Mesopotamia) is situated several thousand li west of Anxi (Parthia) and borders the Western Sea .It is hot and damp, and the people live by cultivating the fields and planting rice... The people are very numerous and are ruled by many petty chiefs. The ruler of Anxi (Parthia) give orders to these chiefs and regards them as vassals."(Shiji,123, Zhang Qian quote, trans. Burton Watson).
  
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 8:34 PM |
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Kangju (康居) northwest of Sogdiana (粟特)
Zhang Qian also visit the are of Kangju,the home of the Sogdian nomads.
"Kangju is situated some 2,000 li (1,000 kilometers) northwest of Dayuan (Bactria). Its people are nomads and resemble the Yuezhi in their customs. They have 80,000 or 90,000 skilled archer fighters. The country is small, and borders Dayuan. It acknowledges sovereignty to the Yuezhi people in the South and the Xiongnu in the East." (Shiji, 123, Zhang Qian quote, trans. Burto n Watson).  |
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 9:20 PM |
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Yancai(Vast Steppe)"奄蔡"
"Yancai lies some 2,000 li (832 km) northwest of Kangju(centered on Tuekestan at Bei'tian).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 a great shoreless lake, perhaps what is known as the Northern Sea (Aral Sea,distance between Tashkent to Aralsk is about 866 km)"(Shiji, 123, Zhang Qian quote, trans. Burton Watson).
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 9:29 PM |
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DEATH
Zhang Qian returned from his third and last expedition in 105 BC and brought back many important products and knowledge of the extensive existence of new products, peoples, and technologies of the outside world.After one or two years,he died after spending more around thirty years travelling through dangers,approximately sixty-years-old.
He was regarded with disgrace in his lifetime for being defeated by Xiongnu but he was bestowed with great honour by the emperor.
Zhang Qian had promoted a great variety of economy and cultural exchange between Western Regions and Han Dynasty, because silk was the dominant product traded this trade link became known as the Silk Route. |
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| Zhang Qian ♥ 9:41 PM |
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