Ban Chao | |||||||||
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 Ming dynasty portrait of Ban Chao | |||||||||
| Native name | 班超 | ||||||||
| Born | 32 Pingling,Fufeng,Eastern Han | ||||||||
| Died | 102 (aged 69–70) Luoyang, Eastern Han | ||||||||
| Allegiance | Han dynasty | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 班超 | ||||||||
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| Zhongsheng (courtesy name) | |||||||||
| Chinese | 仲升 | ||||||||
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Ban Chao (Chinese:班超;pinyin:Bān Chāo;Wade–Giles:Pan1 Ch'ao1; 32–102 CE),courtesy nameZhongsheng, was a Chinese diplomat, explorer, and military general of theEastern Han dynasty. He was born inFufeng, nowXianyang,Shaanxi. Three of his family members—fatherBan Biao, elder brotherBan Gu, younger sisterBan Zhao—were well known historians who wrote the historical textBook of Han, which recorded the history of theWestern Han dynasty. As a Han general and cavalry commander, Ban Chao was in charge of administrating the "Western Regions" (Central Asia) while he was in service. He also led Han forces for over 30 years in thewar against theXiongnu and re-established Han control over theTarim Basin region. He was madeProtector General of the Western Regions by the Han government for his efforts in protecting and governing the regions. Ban Chao is depicted in theWu Shuang Pu (無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang.
As a well-known historian, Ban Chao's family was poor and he worked as a copy-clerk for the government.Emperor Ming himself thought highly of him, and appointed him to be a clerk in the orchid terrace, but Ban Chao was too ambitious to be satisfied with a position like that, and was dismissed later. He was said to be a strong willed young adult with complete disregard for formal conduct. After his brother Ban Gu was removed from his post for his works on theFormer Han, Ban Chao argued his case. When his brother was appointed to the imperial library, Ban Chao and his mother moved to the imperial capitalLuoyang to accompany him. In 73 however, GeneralDou Gu embarked on an expedition to attack the Xiongnu, and Ban Chao was appointed as an assistant major. He distinguished himself in command against a Xiongnu detachment, and was appointed by Dou Gu to accompany OfficerGuo Xun on a preliminary embassy to the remote western regions. When the group arrived at the capital of Shanshan,King Guang also received an embassy from the Northern Xiongnu. Ban Chao and the small group of delegates slaughtered the Xiongnu envoys and sent their heads to the king. Shocked and overwhelmed by Han brutality, King Guang sent hostages to Han as a pact of non-aggression.[1] This was just the start of the many exploits Ban Chao accomplished in the western regions.
Ban Chao, like his predecessorsHuo Qubing andWei Qing from theFormer Han dynasty before him, was effective at expelling theXiongnu from theTarim Basin, and brought the various people of the Western Regions under Chinese rule during the second half of the 1st century CE, helping to open and secure the trade routes to the west. He was generally outnumbered, but skillfully played on the divisions among his opponents. The kingdoms ofKhotan andKashgar came under Chinese rule by 74 CE. "Pan Ch'ao crushed fresh rebellions in Kashgar (80, 87) and Yarkand (88), and made theWusun of theIli his allies."[2]
Ban Chao was recalled toLuoyang, but then sent again to the Western Region area four years later, during the reign of the new emperorHan Zhang Di. He obtained the military help of theKushan Empire in 84 in repelling theKangju who were trying to support the rebellion of the king of Kashgar, and the next year in his attack onTurpan, in the eastern Tarim Basin. Ban Chao ultimately brought the whole of the Tarim Basin under Chinese control.
In recognition for their support to the Chinese, the Kushans (referred to asDa Yuezhi in Chinese sources) requested, but were denied, aHan princess, even though they had sent presents to the Chinese court. In retaliation, they marched on Ban Chao in 90 CE with a force of 70,000 but were defeated by the smaller Chinese force. The Yuezhi retreated and paid tribute to the Chinese Empire. (Later, during the Yuanchu period, 114–120 CE, the Kushans sent a military force to install Chenpan, who had been a hostage among them, as king of Kashgar).[3]
In 91 CE, Ban Chao finally succeeded in pacifying the Western Regions and was awarded the title of Protector General and stationed at Qiuci (Kucha).[4] A Wuji Colonel was re-established and, commanding five hundred soldiers, stationed in the Kingdom of Nearer Jushi, within the walls ofGaochang, 29 kilometres southeast ofTurfan.[4] In 94 CE, Chao proceeded to again attack and defeat Yanqi [Karashahr]. Subsequently, more than fifty kingdoms presented hostages, as submission to the Han dynasty.[4]
In 97 CE, Ban Chao sent an envoy,Gan Ying, who reached thePersian Gulf or theBlack Sea and left the first recorded Chinese account of Europe.[5] Some modern authors have claimed that Ban Chao advanced to theCaspian Sea, however, this interpretation has been criticized as a misreading.[6]
In 102 CE, Ban Chao was retired asProtector General of the Western Regions due to age and ill health, and returned to the capitalLuoyang at the age of 70, but the following month died there in the 9th month of the 14th Yongyuan year (30 Sept. to 28 Oct. 102). See:Hou Hanshu, chap 77 (sometimes given as chap. 107).[7] Following his death, the power of the Xiongnu in the Western Territories increased again, and subsequent Chinese emperors did not reach so far to the west again until theTang dynasty.
Ban Chao also belonged to a family of historians. His father wasBan Biao (3–54 CE) who started theHistory of the Western Han Dynasty (Hanshu;TheBook of Han) in 36, which was completed by his sonBan Gu (32–92)[9] and his daughterBan Zhao (Ban Chao's brother and sister). Ban Chao was probably the key source for the cultural and socio-economic data on the Western Regions contained in theHanshu. Ban Chao's grandmother on the paternal side wasXiongnu and was a descendant of the Xiongnu kingXiutu.[10][11] The partly Xiongnu origins of Ban Chao might help explain his skills in matters related to China's history and foreign relations.[10]
Ban Chao's youngest sonBan Yong (班勇 Bān Yŏng) participated in military campaigns with his father and continued to have a central military role in the Tarim Basin into the 120s.
(Chengyu)
The "Basic Annals of Emperor Wen" is a chapter that Biao seems to have written entirely. Ban Biao appears as the commentator in the final remarks of the chapter. The passage states, 贊曰﹕臣外祖兄弟為元帝侍中，語臣曰元帝多才藝，美史書．The Eulogy states: My (your minister's) maternal grandmother's older and younger brothers were made the palace retainers of Emperor Yuan. They informed me that Emperor Yuan had several talents in the arts and considered historical books attractive.
The "minister" in this Eulogy is usually identified as Ban Biao. The Han commentator, Ying Shao, noted that "the annals of both Yuan and Cheng were written by Ban Biao; when 'chen' 臣 (i.e., 'minister') is used, the speaker is Biao. The distaff relative mentioned is Jin Chang" 元，成帝紀皆班固父彪所作，臣則彪自說也．外祖，金敞也.
The "Basic Annals of Emperor Wen" is a chapter that Biao seems to have written entirely. Ban Biao appears as the commentator in the final remarks of the chapter. The passage states, 贊曰﹕臣外祖兄弟為元帝侍中，語臣曰元帝多才藝，美史書．The Eulogy states: My (your minister's) maternal grandmother's older and younger brothers were made the palace retainers of Emperor Yuan. They informed me that Emperor Yuan had several talents in the arts and considered historical books attractive.
The "minister" in this Eulogy is usually identified as Ban Biao. The Han commentator, Ying Shao, noted that "the annals of both Yuan and Cheng were written by Ban Biao; when 'chen' 臣 (i.e., 'minister') is used, the speaker is Biao. The distaff relative mentioned is Jin Chang" 元，成帝紀皆班固父彪所作，臣則彪自說也．外祖，金敞也.
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