Linked from

The 19 pages that link to Zhang Qian, each with the reason it gives.

• Silk RoadRelated: His reconnaissance mission opened Han eyes to trade possibilities west of the mountains.

• Han dynastyBroader topic: His missions helped open diplomatic connections beyond Han’s western frontier.

• Emperor Wu of HanRelated: Wu sent him west; his reports helped shape Han diplomacy toward Central Asia.

• Han–Xiongnu warsRelated: His diplomatic journeys followed from Han efforts to find allies against the Xiongnu.

• Hexi CorridorRelated: His journeys helped establish the strategic case for securing routes through the corridor.

• GansuRelated: His journeys helped spur the westward connections that crossed the Hexi Corridor.

• DunhuangRelated: His intelligence on the western regions set the strategic goal Dunhuang later served.

• Western Han dynastyRelated: His journeys provided information that supported Han diplomacy and westward expansion.

• YuezhiRelated: His reports gave the Han court detailed information about the Yuezhi west of China.

• Xi'anRelated: His missions from the Han court helped open contacts associated with the Silk Road.

• HeqinRelated: His missions sought allies against the Xiongnu after Han policy grew more openly strategic.

• Protectorate of the Western RegionsRelated: His reports helped persuade the Han court that western alliances and routes mattered.

• Ban ChaoCompared with: Zhang Qian initiated westward connections that Ban Chao later sought to secure.

• Ferghana ValleyRelated: His reports of Dayuan's horses and cities drew Han expeditions to the valley.

• Jade Gate PassRelated: His missions westward passed through this gate and created the traffic it was later built to control.

• Tarim Basin oasesRelated: His reports first mapped oasis states as nodes a trade network could use.

• Western HanRelated: His journeys helped inform Western Han diplomacy and westward policy.

• Western ChinaRelated: His journeys helped establish early diplomatic and commercial ties across the western frontier.

• Northwestern ChinaRelated: His journeys helped establish diplomatic and commercial links through the region.