Chen Tang was the Han Chinese general who defeated the Xiongnu at the Battle of Zhizhi in 36 BCE, strengthening Han control near Silk Road routes.
Chen Tang served as a deputy official in the Western Regions during the late Western Han period. He organized a campaign against Zhizhi Chanyu, a Xiongnu leader who had established a power base far from the main Han frontier. The Han army captured Zhizhi’s stronghold after a major expedition across Central Asia.
The victory helped secure Han influence in the western regions and protected routes connecting China with oasis states. It also became associated with later reports of unusual military formations at the battle, although interpretations of those accounts remain debated.
Chen Tang is often confused with Zhang Qian, the earlier envoy whose missions gathered information about Central Asia, or Ban Chao, a later Han commander who also served in the Western Regions. Chen Tang’s importance lies specifically in the 36 BCE campaign against Zhizhi.