The expansion of the Han empire made the Silk Road possible. The military campaigns of the Han drove back nomadic peoples in the northwestern China, opening up trade routes to the west. A Chinese explorer named Zhang Qian is often called The Father of the Silk Road. His travels opened the way for trade between China and its western neighbors. Zhang Qian traveled across Central Asia to what is now called the country of Iran. Twice, he was taken prisoner by the Huns. Both times, he was able to escape.