Historical Figure

Zhang Qian

Imperial envoy to the world outside of China in the 2nd century BC

About Zhang Qian

Zhang Qian was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and politician who served as an imperial envoy to the world outside of China in the late 2nd century BC during the Western Han dynasty. He was one of the first official diplomats to bring back valuable information about Central Asia, including the Greco-Bactrian remains of the Macedonian Empire as well as the Parthian Empire, to the Han dynasty imperial court, then ruled by Emperor Wu of Han.Wikipedia ↗

Associated Events

Economicc. 130 BCE – 1453 CE

Silk Road Trade Network

A network of overland and maritime trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean, facilitating the exchange of silk, spices, precious metals, technologies, religions, and ideas across Eurasia for over 1,500 years.