{"slug": "zhang-qian", "label": "Zhang Qian", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Qian", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q197276", "qid": "Q197276", "description": "imperial envoy to the world outside of China in the 2nd century BC", "entries": 7, "years": 7, "span": [-138, -112], "span_label": ["139 BCE", "113 BCE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 3}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 2}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 1}, {"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "xiongnu", "label": "Xiongnu", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "emperor-wu-of-han", "label": "Emperor Wu of Han", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "yuezhi", "label": "Yuezhi", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "parthian-empire", "label": "Parthian Empire", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "bactria", "label": "Bactria", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "yellow-river", "label": "Yellow River", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "caspian-sea", "label": "Caspian Sea", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": -138, "year_label": "139 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Wu of Han sends the diplomat Zhang Qian west to form an alliance with the Yuezhi against the Xiongnu. Wu does this after learning from Xiongnu defectors that the Xiongnu had defeated and killed the king of the Yuezhi, had expelled the Yuezhi from their lands and were using their king's skull as a wine goblet. The Yuezhi had subsequently migrated further west.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1305121804#China", "title": "139 BC", "revid": 1305121804, "section": "Events › By place › China"}}, {"year": -128, "year_label": "129 BCE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "The Han diplomat Zhang Qian escapes Xiongnu custody and resumes his mission of forming an anti-Xiongnu alliance with the Yuezhi. He reaches the State of Dayuan in the Ferghana Valley, whose trade with the Han had been prevented by the Xiongnu and who supply Zhang with guides. Zhang then travels to the states of Kangju, Greater Yuezhi and Daxia (Bactria). He also learns of the Parthian Empire, Daqin, the Caspian Sea and the source of the Yellow River.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369561461#China", "title": "129 BC", "revid": 1369561461, "section": "Events › By place › China"}}, {"year": -127, "year_label": "128 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Having spent a year in Greater Yuezhi, the Han diplomat Zhang Qian begins his return journey to China, having failed to persuade Yuezhi's king to form an alliance against the Xiongnu. Passing by the Pamir, Kunlun, Altun and Qilian Mountains, he and his retinue are then captured by the Xiongnu and taken into custody.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1318575176#China", "title": "128 BC", "revid": 1318575176, "section": "Events › By place › China"}}, {"year": -125, "year_label": "126 BCE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Having used the Xiongnu civil war to escape his imprisonment, the diplomat Zhang Qian returns to China and reports on the lands to the west.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1213344030#China", "title": "126 BC", "revid": 1213344030, "section": "Events › By place › China"}}, {"year": -120, "year_label": "121 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Generals Li Guang and Zhang Qian ride north from Youbeiping, but Zhang Qian, with the larger army, is slow to rendezvous with Li Guang. As a result, Li Guang loses more than half his army in battle against the Tuqi (Worthy Prince) of the Left (East).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1352067702#China", "title": "121 BC", "revid": 1352067702, "section": "Events › By place › China"}}, {"year": -113, "year_label": "114 BCE", "section": "Deaths", "date": null, "text": "Zhang Qian, Chinese explorer and diplomat (b. 195 BC)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1352905835#Deaths", "title": "114 BC", "revid": 1352905835, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": -112, "year_label": "113 BCE", "section": "Deaths", "date": null, "text": "Zhang Qian, Chinese explorer, official and diplomat (b. 164 BC)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1259352573#Deaths", "title": "113 BC", "revid": 1259352573, "section": "Deaths"}}]}