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SHIH CHI
Historical Records
(Chepter 123)
by
SZUMA CH'IEN 145-87 B. C of the HAN DYNASTY
TAYÜAN
It was Chang Ch'ien who first put his foot on the soil of Tayüan (Ferghana, modern Khokand). Chang Ch'ien was a native of Hanchung, and was a lang (chief of guardsmen) during the reign of Chien-Yuan (140-135 B.C.). The Emperor at that time interrogated some Hsiungnus (Huns) who had surrendered. The Huns said that they had defeated the King of Yuehchih and made a wine-cup out of his skull, and that the people of Yuehchih were in exile and anxious to find an ally to take revenge on their enemy the Huns. The Han (Chinese) Emperor had the intention of wiping out the Huns and, hearing of this, wished to send an envoy to the Yuehchih people.
But such an envoy had to pass through territory under the control of the Huns, and an able man was wanted. Chang Ch'ien, as a lang, applied and was chosen. He went on the Yuehchih mission taking with him Kan Fu, a Hun slave of the Tangyi family. Leaving western Lung, he entered Hun territory and was caught and summoned before the Shanyu (Khan). The Khan detained him and said: "Yuehchih is to the north of my territory. How could Han send its envoy there? Would Han allow me to send my envoy to Yueh (southern part of Han)?" Thus Chang Ch'ien was detained for more than ten years among the Huns and had a wife and children there.
However, he remained loyal to Han. The Huns relaxed their watch, and Chang Ch'ien succeeded in fleeing the country.
Roughly two thirds of characters agree with a modern printed edition of the same text. Much of the disagreement is editorial, not misreading. Treat the transcription as a finding aid and read the page image before quoting. How this was measured.