Zhang Qian's mission to the West
138 BCE–126 BCE · Event
Sent by Emperor Wu to find allies against the Xiongnu, Zhang Qian is captured, escapes, and returns thirteen years later with the first Chinese knowledge of Central Asia — the journey that opens the Silk Road.
On these timelines: The Silk Road & the Steppe, Master, China, Age of Exploration
More from The Silk Road & the Steppe
- The Great Game (1830)
- Spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road (100)
- Tang reopens the Silk Road (640)
- Russian conquest of Central Asia (1865)
- Mogao Caves at Dunhuang (366)
- Papermaking spreads west (751)
- Independence of the Central Asian republics (1991)
- Sogdian merchants dominate the Silk Road (400)
Around 138 BCE
- Second Punic War (218 BCE)
- Qin Shi Huang unifies China (221 BCE)
- Caesar's conquest of Gaul (58 BCE)
- Spartacus slave revolt (73 BCE)
- Fall of the Roman Republic (133 BCE)
- Han dynasty (202 BCE)
- Caesar's dictatorship (49 BCE)
- Julius Caesar (100 BCE)
- Caesar crosses the Rubicon (49 BCE)
- Augustus (63 BCE)