Yuezhi

E182903

The Yuezhi were an ancient Indo-European nomadic people of Central Asia who migrated westward, eventually founding the Kushan Empire that played a key role in Silk Road trade and cultural exchange.

All labels observed (6)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Indo-European people
ancient people
nomadic people
afterDisplacement moved westward through Ili region and Sogdia
alternativeName Rouzhi
alternativeTransliteration Yüeh-chih
associatedWith Tocharian-related populations (hypothesized)
capitalInBactria Bactra (under their successor Kushans)
chronology displaced from Gansu by Xiongnu in 2nd century BCE
linked to: Yuezhi
conflictedWith Xiongnu
contributedTo formation of a cosmopolitan culture in Kushan domains
engagedIn horse-based nomadic pastoralism
long-distance trade
ethnicity Indo-European
linked to: Indo-Europeans
founded Kushan Empire
influenced Gandharan culture
spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road
knownFor founding a major transregional empire
mediating cultural contacts between Hellenistic world, India, and China
languageFamily Indo-European languages
locatedIn Central Asia
mentionedIn Book of Han
Chinese historical sources
Records of the Grand Historian
migratedFrom northwestern China
linked to: Northwest China
migratedTo Bactria
northwestern Indian subcontinent
originalHomeland Gansu region
linked to: Gansu Province

Hexi Corridor
partOf Silk Road network
linked to: Silk Road routes
playedRoleIn Silk Road trade
linked to: Silk Road routes

cultural exchange between East and West
politicalOrganization tribal confederation
predecessorOf Kushan ruling elite
regionOfActivity Bactria
Gandhara
Tarim Basin
northwestern Indian subcontinent
relatedEvent fall of Greco-Bactrian Kingdom
religion practices including local Iranian, Indian, and possibly Buddhist cults (in later period via Kushans)
subgroup Greater Yuezhi
linked to: Yuezhi

Lesser Yuezhi
linked to: Yuezhi
successorState Kushan Empire
timePeriod 1st millennium BCE
early 1st millennium CE

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (11)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Kushan Empire follows Yuezhi tribal confederation
linked to: Yuezhi
Kushan Empire ethnicGroup Yuezhi
Yuezhi subgroup Greater Yuezhi
linked to: Yuezhi
Yuezhi subgroup Lesser Yuezhi
linked to: Yuezhi
Yuezhi chronology displaced from Gansu by Xiongnu in 2nd century BCE
linked to: Yuezhi
Kujula Kadphises unified Yuezhi tribes
linked to: Yuezhi