description: During the 2nd and 3rd century BC, the Qin and Han Dynasties explored much of the Eastern Northern Hemisphere. For example, the court sorcerer Xu Fu (b. 255 BC), who led two voyages to the Eastern Sea ...
During the 2nd century BC, theHan
dynastyexplored much of the
Eastern Northern Hemisphere. Starting in 139 BC, the Han diplomatZhang
Qiantraveled west in an unsuccessful attempt to secure an alliance with the
DaYuezhiagainst
theXiongnu(the
Yuezhi had been evicted fromGansuby
the Xiongnu in 177 BC); however, Zhang's travels revealed entire countries which
the Chinese were unaware of, including theremnants
of the conquestsofAlexander
the Great(r. 336–323 BC).[1]When
Zhang returned to China in 125 BC, he reported on his visits toDayuan(Fergana),Kangju(Sogdiana),
andDaxia(Bactria,
formerly theGreco-Bactrian
Kingdomwhich had just been
subjugated by the Da Yuezhi).[2]Zhang
described Dayuan and Daxia as agricultural and urban countries like China, and
although he did not venture there, described Shendu (theIndus
Rivervalley ofNorthwestern
India) and Anxi (Arsacidterritories)
further west.[3]
