Relations between China and Iranian speaking areas started quite early.Between 138 and 126 BCE,the Han empire sent General Zhang Qian to Central Asia,the area later known to be inhabited by a Sogdian speaking population and Parthia was listed among the countries that later had close rations with China.Parthia was called Anxi 安息,a Chinese transcription of Ar(s)ik,the name of the establisher of dynasty,and monks from Parthia played an important role in spreading Buddhism to China.