During the period of 168 ~ 142 BC, Xiongnu constantly threatened the northern border of the western Han dynasty. In BC 140, when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ascended the throne, he made an ambitious plan to drive the Xiongnu back to Mobei.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty recruited envoys to the Western Regions, ready to contact the Da Yueshi who was driven to the Western Regions by the Xiongnu from Hexi, and * * * crusaded against the Xiongnu. Zhang Qian, eager to contribute to the country, resolutely subscribed.
In BC 138, he went west from Chang 'an with more than 100 followers. On the way, he was caught by the Huns and detained 1 1 year. He did not forget his mission, but managed to escape and arrive in Da Yue. At that time, Da Yue had already moved westward, and had no intention of fighting Xiongnu again. Zhang Qian returned to Chang 'an and reported to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty what he had seen and heard in the Western Regions and their desire to communicate with the Han Dynasty.
2. Suwu Shepherd
This story tells that when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Su Wu was appointed as the envoy to the Huns. But the Huns broke their promise, detained Su Wu and tried every means to persuade him to surrender. Su Wu would rather die than surrender. At first, he was locked in a big cellar. Su Wu was so hungry that he lived on snow and wool, but he never surrendered.
Khan took him to Beihai again, and Su Wu was even more unmoved. The Xiongnu leader had to send him to the North Sea to herd sheep and said to him, "When the ram gives birth to a lamb, I will let you go back to the Han Dynasty!" Su Wu came to Beihai, herded sheep every day and looked at the direction of the Han Dynasty ahead.
He stroked the envoys handed over to him by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty when he set out, thinking of his relatives in his hometown and the imperial court. Even when he slept at night, he held the special envoy tightly to his chest. After a long time, all the hair on the envoy fell off, leaving only a bare pole.
Su Wu spent 19 years in Beihai, and was not released until the Xiongnu reconciled with the Han Dynasty. On the day he returned to Chang 'an along the Silk Road, people from Chang 'an came out to meet him. They were moved to tears when they saw Su Wu's bald envoy with white hair and beard.
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Development of the Silk Road
The traditional Silk Road starts from Chang 'an, the ancient capital of China, passes through Central Asian countries, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Syria, reaches the Mediterranean Sea, and ends in Rome, with a total length of 6,440 kilometers. This road is considered to be the intersection of ancient eastern and western civilizations connecting Asia and Europe, and silk is the most representative commodity.
For thousands of years, nomads or tribes, businessmen, Christians, diplomats, soldiers and academic researchers have been moving around along the Silk Road. With the development of the times, the Silk Road has become the general name for all political, economic and cultural exchanges between ancient China and the West.
There is the "Northwest Silk Road", and Zhang Qian in the Western Han Dynasty opened the official passage of the western regions; There is a "Prairie Silk Road", which goes north to the Mongolian Plateau, then west to the northern foot of Tianshan Mountain and enters Central Asia. There is a rugged "Southwest Silk Road", from Chang 'an to Chengdu, and then to India. Maritime trade "Maritime Silk Road" from Nanyang to the Arabian Sea and even as far away as the east coast of Africa.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Zhang Qian to the Western Regions
Baidu Encyclopedia-Su Wu Mu Yang
Baidu Encyclopedia-Silk Road