Perhaps useful information | How ancient China referred to Iran In ancient Chinese literature, the region now known as Iran (伊朗) was not initially called "波斯" (Persia). The Records of the Grand Historian mentions the country of Anxi as a nation in the Western Regions. This is one of the earliest terms used by ancient China to refer to the Iranian region. Later, in the Book of the Later Han, descriptions related to Anxi increase, indicating that exchanges between China and Anxi were quite active at that time. On the other hand, the name "波斯" appears in Chinese historical texts only during the Three Kingdoms period. The earliest record is found in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, where the term "波斯" is used for the first time. Furthermore, during the Ming Dynasty, another transliteration referring to Persia, 百爾西亞 (Persia), also appears in the literature. From "安息" to "波斯", and then to "百爾西亞". These changes in names also reflect the process by which China recognized and interacted with the Iranian region. Stay tuned for the next installment! Follow so you don't miss it.