When Emperor Wu-ti took over the empire, he only had two things in mind - defense and trade.

China's most formidable foreign opponent was the Xiongnu, a Turkish-speaking nomadic tribe which, at its apex of power held sway over a territory that extended all the way from Eastern Mongolia to the Aral Sea. From time to time its cavalrymen rode southward and raided China, much to the distress of the people in the border.

Wu-ti planned to form an alliance with the Xiongnu's old enemies, the Yueh-chih people to attack the Xiongnu from the east and west together. Wu-ti now needed a man with great physical strength and noble character to take the journey to Yueh-chih, thousands of miles away.

In 138 BC, Chang Ch'ien (d. 114 BC) or Zhang Qian, the commander of the guards at the imperial palace gates, volunteered to the hazardous journey to persuade Yueh-chih. He left with hundred men.

On his way, he and his men were captured by the Xiongnu in Hexi (Gansu Province) for more than 10 years. He was well treated by the Xiongnu and married to a Xiongnu wife. With her, they had a son.

However he never forgot his mission to Yueh-chih in the west and managed to escape.

With great determination, Chang Ch'ien continued to travel westward.
Finally Chang Ch'ien arrived Kokand, Fergana (Turkistan) and was friends with the king.
He resumed his journey to the west and reached the Yueh-chih people, who had become sedentary and civilized people.
They lived in peace and contentment in the fertile Bactria and no longer wanted to return to the east or revenge on the Xiongnu.

Chang Ch'ien lived among the Yueh-chih for more than a year, then made his way back to the east. He was again captured by the Xiongnu for one year.

In the confusion that followed the death of Xiongnu king at 126 BC, he managed to escape with his wife and son and returned to Chang'an (Xian), the capital of Han dynasty.

This trip lasted 13 years.

When he returned, only one man out of the origional hundred came back with him.

Even though Chang Ch'ien didn't succeed his mission, he brought back a wealth of firsthand information on the history, geography, and cultural conditions of Central Asia and also about the regions further west like Anxi (Persia), Tiaozhi (Arabia) and Da Ch'in (Roman Empire).

More will follow about this amazing adventurer!

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