Zhang Qian

Zhang Qian (Chinese: 張騫; d. 113 BC) was a Chinese official and diplomat who served as an imperial envoy to the world outside of China in the 2nd century BC, during the time of the Han dynasty. He was the first official diplomat to bring back reliable information about Central Asia to the Chinese imperial court, then under Emperor Wu of Han, and played an important pioneering role in the Chinese colonization and conquest of the region now known as Xinjiang.

Today Zhang Qian's travels are associated with the major route of transcontinental trade, the Silk Road. In essence, his missions opened up to China the many kingdoms and products of a part of the world then unknown to the Chinese. Zhang Qian's accounts of his explorations of Central Asia are detailed in the Early Han historical chronicles, Records of the Grand Historian, compiled by Sima Qian in the 1st century BC. The Central Asian sections of the Silk Road routes were expanded around 114 BC largely through the missions and explorations of Zhang Qian. Today Zhang Qian is considered a national hero and revered for the key role he played in opening China to the world of commercial trade.

ROCS Chang Chien (FFG-1109)

ROCS Chang Chien (張騫, FFG-1109) is the seventh of eight Taiwanese-built Cheng Kung-class frigates based on the United States Oliver Hazard Perry class. Laid down in June 1996 and launched in April 1997, Chang Chien was commissioned in November, 1998. All of these Taiwanese frigates have the length of the later Oliver Hazard Perry-class vessels, but have a different weapon and electronics fit.

Like her sister ships, Chang Chien was built under license by China SB Corp. at Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC.

As of 2005, Chang Chien is homeported at Tso-Ying naval base.

Namesake

Chang Chien is named after Chang Chien (張騫) (195 BCE - 114 BCE), who served as an emissary to the nation-states in today's Central Asia and later as a general for the Han Dynasty. He was famous for not-giving up his emissary mission even when captured by Xiongnu and forced to lived among them for many years. Chang Chien was also instrumental for eventual Han conquest and colonization of the region now known as Xinjiang.