Zhang Qian was originally a Langguan in the palace. In the third year of Jianyuan, Zhang Qian was ordered to go as an envoy to the Dayue clan. He was captured by the Xiongnu on the way and later escaped. He traveled through Dayuan, Kangju, Dayue clan, Daxia, etc. country and returned to the Han Dynasty. Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions not only fulfilled the original diplomatic purpose, but also greatly increased the exchanges between the Central Plains and the Western Regions. He also brought many plants from the Western Regions. However, there were many alien species that entered China during the Han Dynasty, some of which were not brought by Zhang Qian. There is no mention of who brought what in the history books, so we can only speculate based on other information. If there is any mistake, please point it out: 1. According to "Xijing Miscellanies", "alfalfa originally came out of Dayuan and was brought back to China by the Han envoy Zhang Qian." Alfalfa has a wide range of uses. It can be used as pasture and can be eaten by humans. Moreover, the rhizobia growing on the roots of alfalfa can synthesize nitrogen, so planting alfalfa can also fertilize fields.

2. Sesame Shen Cunzhong's "Bi Tan" records that "the Han envoy Zhang Qian first obtained the oil and sesame seeds from Dayuan, hence the name flax." Sesame oil is what we call sesame today. Everyone must know its function. It is mainly used to extract oil. Sesame oil has a strong fragrance, so it is also called sesame oil and is an important condiment.

3. Broad beans According to the "Taiping Yulan" record: "Zhang Qian sent foreign countries and got broad beans planted back." In the Han Dynasty, Hu Dou originally referred to peas, but the Hu Dou brought by Zhang Qian was actually broad beans. "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that Hu Dou is "pod-shaped like old silkworms, hence the name." Because the two have the same name, peas were no longer called Hu Dou.

4. Garlic and coriander According to Sun Li's "Tang Yun" records: "Zhang Qian first obtained garlic and coriander when he traveled to the Western Regions." Everyone is familiar with garlic and its uses are clear. Coriander is coriander. In addition to its familiar seasoning use, coriander is also a traditional Chinese medicine that can help digestion and appetite, as well as relieve pain and detoxify. It has many uses.

5. Cucumber: Cucumber was called Hugua when it was first introduced. According to the "Shiyilu", in the fourth year of Daye of the Sui Dynasty, the name was changed to Cucumber to avoid taboos. Needless to say, the uses of cucumbers can be eaten raw, cold or cooked. It is a good thing.

6. Pomegranate According to the records of "Natural History", Zhang Qian obtained a kind of pomegranate seed in the Anshi Kingdom of Tulin, so it was named Anshiliu, which was later known as pomegranate.

7. Walnuts Walnuts are also known as walnuts and Qiang peaches. Zhang Qian brought them back when he was on an envoy to the Western Regions. Walnut is a nutritious nut, so it is widely planted in China. Now China is also the world's largest walnut producer.

8. Red flowers are also known as red and blue flowers. According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica", red flowers were originally born in the Western Regions. Zhang Qian obtained the seeds of red flowers in the Western Regions and brought them back to the Central Plains. "Today's Wei Dynasty" Sow it too.” The biggest function of safflower is medicinal, and it is a good gynecological medicine.

10. Grapes Grapes are also known as Syzygium pumila. In ancient times, due to poor preservation techniques and poor transportation conditions, the main role of grapes was to make wine. According to the "Book of Han" records, grapes were also brought back and introduced by Zhang Qian. However, it is also said that grapes originally existed in the Longxi area, so there is still some controversy.

In addition to these, there are also crops such as celery, carrots, and figs that are said to have been brought by Zhang Qian. However, there is some controversy, so I will not list them one by one. In addition, there are some that may not be adapted to China's environment, and their introduction failed and disappeared in the long river of history. We can see that Zhang Qian brought delicious food and good medicine, which greatly enriched the Chinese people's diet. His merits are truly immeasurable.