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Speaking of Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty, everyone must be very familiar with him, he is a pioneer of the Silk Road, but also a national hero. His diplomatic skills are very powerful. On the orders of Emperor Wu of Han, he sent an envoy to the Western Regions, which is also known as the Silk Road! So why did Zhang Qian go on an envoy? What is the historical significance of Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions? Let's take a look at it with the small editor of The Study of Traditional Chinese Studies!
1. Why did Zhang Qian go to the Western Regions?
In order to unite with the Great Moon Clan against the Xiongnu, Emperor Wu of Han appointed Zhang Qian as an envoy.
In 138 BC, in order to unite with the Great Moon Clan to jointly deal with the Xiongnu, Emperor Wu of han appointed Zhang Qian as a special envoy and led a delegation of more than 100 people to the Western Regions. However, soon after Zhang Qian's mission left Yangguan, it was captured by the Xiongnu. Zhang Qian was imprisoned for ten years, and he finally escaped and arrived at the Great Moon Clan Kingdom. However, the Great Moon Clan no longer wanted to fight the Huns. Zhang Qian had to travel from the Great Moon Kingdom to the Bactrian Kingdom (present-day Afghanistan).
When returning from Bactria, Zhang Qian crossed Xinjiang and Gansu from the northern foothills of the Kunlun Mountains and finally returned to Chang'an. Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions, although he did not achieve the purpose of uniting with the Great Moon Clan, opened up a trade route to the Western Regions. Emperor Wu of Han was very happy about this and made him the "Marquis of Bowang". In 119 BC, Zhang Qian sent a second mission to the Western Regions. The trade route opened by Zhang Qian from Chang'an to the countries of the Western Regions also became a key link between Eastern and Western cultures, and people called it the "Silk Road".
2. The historical significance of Zhang Qian's envoy to the Western Regions
Zhang Qian, as the pioneer of the world-famous "Silk Road" and the first Chinese to open his eyes to the world, he is a meritorious achievement, even today is unparalleled in the world.
From 139 BC onwards, the trip to the Western Regions, on the way through hardships, detained by the Xiongnu for 10 years, in a foreign country to endure humiliation and burden, difficult to survive, so desperate, Zhang Qian still did not forget the instructions of the Han Emperor, to unite with the Great Moon Clan to fight against the Xiongnu, even if he had married a wife and children in the Xiongnu, he did not let Zhang Qian naturalize, after finding the opportunity to escape, Zhang Qian and Gan Father and his entourage marched together to find the Great Moon Clan. Along the way, he experienced the countries of the Western Regions and experienced the humanistic customs of various countries, which he memorized in his heart for reference in the future Conquest of the Western Regions by the Han Dynasty. The information, geographical location, population, society, specialties, and military strength of the various countries scattered in the vast and boundless western regions such as Dawan, Kangju, Resting in Peace, Body Poison, Tiaozhi, Bactria and Wusun were truthfully recorded, and these contents were later recorded in the han dynasty historian Sima Qian's historical record "The Biography of Dawan Lie".
Although the purpose of Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions was not achieved, the field investigation records of these countries in the Western Regions brought back were the first scientific investigation of these places in China and even in the world at that time, and are still an important precious material for the study of the ancient geography and humanities of these places in the world.
Zhang Qian's trip to the Western Regions spread the Han Dynasty civilization in the East to the Western countries, and brought the friendship of the Han Dynasty, providing a route for the mutual exchange between the East and the West. Moreover, after the second trip to the Western Regions, the two sides established stable and long-term exchanges, which greatly enriched the material life of the Han Dynasty at that time and actively expanded the influence of the Han Dynasty civilization.
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