EXPLORER

Gan Ying

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Gan Ying (Chinese: 甘英; pinyin: Gān Yīng; fl. 97 CE) was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military official who was sent on a mission to the Roman Empire to find out more about it in 97 CE by the Chinese military general Ban Chao. Gan Ying did not reach Rome, only traveling to as far as the "western sea" which could refer to either the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, or the Parthian coast of the Persian Gulf. From there they could have followed the Euphrates north to the Roman border in Syria in a few weeks, but they did not know this and instead they planned to sail around Arabia to Roman Egypt, which would have taken 3 months. Becoming discouraged by local sailors' stories of bad weather, they gave up and went home. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Gan Ying is the 145th most popular explorer (up from 155th in 2019), the 405th most popular biography from China (up from 512th in 2019) and the 5th most popular Chinese Explorer.

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Among EXPLORERS

Among explorers, Gan Ying ranks 145 out of 498. Before him are Philip Johan von Strahlenberg, Ranulph Fiennes, Pedro Mascarenhas, Adam Olearius, Afanasy Nikitin, and Sir John Barrow, 1st Baronet. After him are Samuel Wallis, Semyon Dezhnev, Adam Johann von Krusenstern, Jean Chardin, Isabella Bird, and Rodrigo de Triana.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 100, Gan Ying ranks 33. Before him are Claudia Acte, Vologases III of Parthia, Aretaeus of Cappadocia, Valentinus, Mucianus, and Mary the Jewess. After him are Epaphroditus, Marcus Annius Verus, Praxedes, Agrippa the Skeptic, Saint Sabina, and Artabanus III of Parthia.

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In China

Among people born in China, Gan Ying ranks 405 out of 1,610. Before him are Zhu Wen (852), Emperor Shun of Han (115), Liang Qichao (1873), Shannon Lucid (1943), Zhou Dunyi (1017), and Taiichi Ohno (1912). After him are Gampopa (1079), Wei Zheng (580), Zhao Mengfu (1254), Huang Gai (145), Emperor Chong of Han (143), and Ruan Lingyu (1910).

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Among EXPLORERS In China

Among explorers born in China, Gan Ying ranks 5. Before him are Zheng He (1387), Xuanzang (602), Zhang Qian (-200), and Xu Fu (-255). After him are Ma Huan (1380).

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