Ep. 47 | Adventurer Zhang Qian

The China History Podcast
Written By Laszlo Montgomery

In this episode, we look at the life of one of the bravest and greatest adventurers of ancient times.  Zhang Qian was selected by the Han Dynasty Emperor Wu to make a political alliance with a distant central Asian people, the Yuezhi.

Zhang Qian’s thirteen-year journey to the west between 138 BC and 126 BC brought back massive amounts of intelligence and understanding about those distant lands beyond Han China’s frontiers.  This great adventurer and national hero of China paved the way for the explosion of two-way trade that followed in his footsteps and led to the development of the Silk Road.

Listen On Your Favorite Podcast Player

Enjoy the show and want to support the CHP?

 
patreon_logo_small.png

Join the CHP Patreon

 
paypal_logo_small.png

Make a Direct Donation

 
Related Episodes
Ep. 342 | China, East Africa, and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere
Ep. 342 | China, East Africa, and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere

It took almost fourteen years but here's a first CHP episode that focuses on China-Africa history.

Ep. 327 | The History of China-Cambodia Relations (Part 2)
Ep. 327 | The History of China-Cambodia Relations (Part 2)

This second episode of the 2-part series will cover the period from 1965 to the present day.

Ep. 326 | The History of China-Cambodia Relations (Part 1)
Ep. 326 | The History of China-Cambodia Relations (Part 1)

This is the first part of a quick two-part series with an overview of the historical interaction between China and Cambodia.

Ep. 308 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 6)
Ep. 308 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 6)

In this Part 6 episode we'll finish off this overview of Guangzhou's history, taking it up to modern times.

Ep. 307 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 5)
Ep. 307 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 5)

More Guangzhou history. This time we look at the events between the Second Opium War to the Northern Expedition.

Ep. 306 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 4)
Ep. 306 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 4)

The history continues with the many exciting and historically consequential events of the mid-19th century.

Ep. 305 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 3)
Ep. 305 | The History of Guangzhou (Part 3)

The history continues of China's great and historic "Window to the World", the city of Guangzhou.

Ep. 296 | Sino-Roman Relations (Part 2)
Ep. 296 | Sino-Roman Relations (Part 2)

In this Part 2 episode, we'll look at relations between the Byzantine Empire and China during the Tang, Song, and Yuan.

Ep. 295 | Sino-Roman Relations (Part 1)
Ep. 295 | Sino-Roman Relations (Part 1)

This is sort of a strange topic. In Part 1 we'll look at the early history that took place between the Western Han Dynasty and the Western Roman Empire.

Ep. 207 | The Forgotten Chinese Labour Corps
Ep. 207 | The Forgotten Chinese Labour Corps

In commemoration of the American Labor Day Holiday, Laszlo brings you a rather forgotten tale from the annals of Chinese modern history, the Chinese Labour Corps, who played a thankless but critical role in the Allied victory over Germany in WWI.

Laszlo Montgomery
Previous

Ep. 48 | The Founding of the CCP
Next

Ep. 46 | The May 4th Movement