Yancai

闔蘇 Hésū < *ĥa̱p-sa̱ĥ; compare also Latin Abzoae[1][2][3][4][5]) was the Chinese name of an ancient nomadic state centered near the Aral Sea during the Han dynasty period (206 BC—220 AD).

After becoming vassals of the Kangju in the 1st century BC, Yancai became known as Alan (Chinese: 阿蘭; pinyin: Ālán; Wade–Giles: A-lan).

[a] Yancai is first mentioned in Chapter 123 of the Shiji (whose author, Sima Qian, died c. 90 BC), based on the travels of 2nd century BC Chinese diplomat Zhang Qian: Yancai lies some 2,000 li [832 km][10] northwest of Kangju.

[12] They are often connected to the Aorsi of Roman records, who dominated the area between the Don and the Aral Sea and were both a wealthy mercantile people and a powerful military force.

[16][17]In the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, the Alans emerged as the dominant people of the Sarmatians either through conquering or absorbing other tribes.

[13] At this time they migrated westwards to Southern Russia and frequently raided the Parthian and Roman Empire.