Geographical accounts of the western area, Historical records of the Former Han period. Published in the Qing period. Zhang Qian advised Emperor Wu to make an alliance with the kingdom of Wusun for the purpose of putting a complete halt to Xiongnu invasions of the Western Area. In response, Emperor Wu dispatched a mission to Wusun, and vice-envoys were sent from there to the kingdoms of Dayuan (Ferghana), Kangju, Yuezhi, and Daxia. In addition, the king of Wusun was given Xijun, the daughter of the ruler of Jiangdu, to be his princess, and relations were established with the other kingdoms visited by the vice-envoys. It was around this time that Li Guangli made his famed expedition to Dayuan. Eager to get his hands on its fabled steeds, which legend had it would run so long and fast that they began to sweat blood, Emperor Wu gave an envoy a lot of gold and prize mounts, and ordered him to buy the horses. Unfortunately, the king of Dayuan, who looked down on the Hans, ridiculed his "insolence" and ultimately had him murdered and robbed of his property. In a rage, Emperor Wu immediately ordered an expedition against Dayuan, and picked Li, the older brother of his favorite concubine, to command it. Li set out for Dayuan with a force of some 6,000 cavalry from vassal states and tens of thousands of troops from other kingdoms. [Read more..]
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