Qin and Han · Envoy and Diplomat

Zhang Qian 張騫

Attested BC 141 - BC 87

Passages
42
Chapters
6
Histories
3

Overview

Zhang Qian was an envoy and Diplomat.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Life and dates

Death

Attested activity

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Key source chapters

  1. Book of Han, Chapter 71 Volume 61: Zhang Qian and Li Guangli 34 passages
  2. Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 109 Biography of General Li 3 passages
  3. Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 116 Treatise on the Southwestern Yi People 2 passages
  4. Book of Han, Chapter 68 Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan 1 passage
  5. Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 144 Volume 144: Treatises 6 Music 1 1 passage

Career and standing

Show 7 more source-backed claims

Places and affiliations

Show 2 more source-backed claims

Works and attributed material

Events and relationships

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Assessments and attributes

  • Assessment After Zhang Qian's mission to Daxia traced the river source, the so-called Kunlun of the Basic Annals of Yu cannot be verified; the Documents are nearer the truth on the nine provinces' mountains and rivers, while the Basic Annals of Yu and the Classic of Mountains are reckless fancy. · Mode historian-judgment
    Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 213-215
  • Assessment envoy service (奉使) · Mode historian-judgment
    Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 258
  • Assessment resolute, generous, and trustworthy; frontier peoples loved him · Mode historian-judgment
    Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 23

Source notes

References in the histories

42 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 68Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan · 1 passage
Open chapter
漢之得人，於茲為盛，儒雅則公孫弘、董仲舒、兒寬，篤行則石建、石慶，質直則汲黯、卜式，推賢則韓安國、鄭當時，定令則趙禹、張湯，文章則司馬遷、相如，滑稽則東方朔、枚皋，應對則嚴助、硃買臣，歷數則唐都、洛下閎，協律則李延年，運籌則桑弘羊，奉使則張騫、蘇武，將率則衛青、霍去病，受遺則霍光、金日磾，其餘不可勝紀。 Never did the dynasty gather talent so thickly: Hong, Dong, and Kuan for classical breadth; the Shi brothers for steadfast service; Ji An and Bu Shi for blunt loyalty; Han Anguo and Zheng Dangshi for lifting others; Zhao Yu and Zhang Tang for codifying law; Sima Qian and Xiangru for voice; jesters Dongfang Shuo and Mei Gao; debaters Yan Zhu and Zhu Maichen; calendar-makers Tang Du and Luoxia Hong; the harmonist Li Yan'nian; the reckoner Sang Hongyang; envoys Zhang Qian and Su Wu; blades Wei Qing and Huo Qubing; regents Huo Guang and Jin Midi—and a cloud of names besides.
Book of Han, Chapter 71Volume 61: Zhang Qian and Li Guangli · 34 passages
Open chapter
Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 144Volume 144: Treatises 6 Music 1 · 1 passage
Open chapter
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 109Biography of General Li · 3 passages
Open chapter
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 112Biographies of the Marquis of Pingjin and Zhufu · 1 passage
Open chapter
儒雅則公孫弘、董仲舒、兒寬，篤行則石建、石慶，質直則汲黯、卜式，推賢則韓安國、鄭當時，定令則趙禹、張湯，文章則司馬遷、相如，滑稽則東方朔、枚皋，應對則嚴助、朱買臣，歷數則唐都、落下閎，協律則李延年，運籌則桑弘羊，奉使則張騫、蘇武，將帥則衛青、霍去病，受遺則霍光、金日磾。 In Confucian scholarship, there were Gongsun Hong, Dong Zhongshu, and Er Kuan. In steadfast conduct, Shi Jian and Shi Qing. In forthright character, Ji An and Bu Shi. In advancing the worthy, Han Anguo and Zheng Dangshi. In codifying laws, Zhao Yu and Zhang Tang. In literary achievement, Sima Qian and Sima Xiangru. In wit and humor, Dongfang Shuo and Mei Gao. In eloquent debate, Yan Zhu and Zhu Maichen. In astronomy and calendrical science, Tang Du and Luoxia Hong. In harmonizing music, Li Yannian. In strategic finance, Sang Hongyang. In diplomatic missions, Zhang Qian and Su Wu. In military command, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. In receiving the imperial testamentary charge, Huo Guang and Jin Midi.
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 116Treatise on the Southwestern Yi People · 2 passages
Open chapter
及元狩元年，博望侯張騫使大夏來，言居大夏時見蜀布、邛竹、杖，使問所從來，曰「從東南身毒國，可數千里，得蜀賈人市」。 In the first year of the Yuanshou era, Zhang Qian, the Marquis of Bowang, returned from his mission to Daxia. He reported that while in Daxia he had seen cloth from Shu, Qiong bamboo, and walking sticks. When he inquired where they came from, the people told him, 'From the kingdom of Shendu to the southeast, several thousand li away, where they are purchased from merchants of Shu.'