Du Huan facts for kids

Du Huan was a Chinese writer who lived a long time ago during the Tang Dynasty. He was born in a city called Chang'an. He wrote about his travels and adventures.

In 751, Du Huan was captured during a big battle called the Battle of Talas. He was one of several Chinese people taken. This group included skilled workers like artisans and fabric weavers. After this, he went on a long journey. He traveled through a large empire called the Abbasid Caliphate. This land was also known as the 'Lands of the Tājīk'. He finally returned home by ship to Guangzhou in 762.

Du Huan's Amazing Book

After his long journey, Du Huan wrote a book called Jingxingji. This name means "Records of Travels." Sadly, most of his original book is now lost.

How We Know About His Travels

Luckily, some parts of his book survived. They were kept in a huge encyclopedia called Tongdian. This encyclopedia was put together by his uncle, Du You. Du You was also a famous writer. Later, in 1911, a person named Chen Yunrong helped put the pieces of Du Huan's original book back together.

More About His Journey

Historians have studied Du Huan's writings. One historian, Angela Schottenhammer, thinks Du Huan was not just a regular prisoner of war. His descriptions of the 'Lands of the Tājīk' were very positive. He also seemed to have many chances to explore during his travels. This suggests he had more freedom than a typical captive.

Places He Described

It's likely that Du Huan did not visit every place he wrote about. However, he gave a very detailed description of life in a city called Kufa. Kufa was an important city. It was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate before Baghdad was built. Du Huan's travel report might have even helped others. For example, it may have been a guide for an official named Yang Liangyao in 785. Yang Liangyao traveled from Guangzhou to the west, just like Du Huan did.

See also

• Sino-Arab relations