Ban Biao (3-54 AD) was appointed to an official post in the early years of the Eastern Han dynasty and wrote a 65-chapter supplement to the renowned Historical Records (Shi Ji) of Sima Qian. After his death, his son Ban Gu (32-92 AD) used the historical materials collected by his father to compile The History of the Former Han Dynasty. Ban Gu's younger sister Ban Zhao took up where he left off by writing Ba Biao and Tianwen Zhi.

The first dynastic history

Ban's History was the first of China's 25 dynastic histories, and historians agree that none of its successors can compare with the original. Although it is generally felt that Ban Gu, with his strict adherence to Confucian ideology, was not so sophisticated a thinker as Sima Qian, our understanding of the Western Han dynasty rests largely upon the work of Ban Gu.

Although the Historical Records are widely recognized as superior to Ban's History, the enormous value of the latter cannot be denied. The book contains 120 volumes and includes four subjects-criminal law, ethics, art and literature, and geography-not found in the Historical Records. Ban's was in fact the first work on history to include a chapter specifically devoted to geography. Not only did it spur others to attach importance to geography, it has also helped solve numerous historical riddles.

The 1972 discovery of an ancient tomb at Mawangdui in Changsha, Hunan gave rise to many questions. The tomb's occupant, the Marquis Yi of Zeng, was known to have ruled over the Kingdom of Changsha, but where exactly was this kingdom located? How far did its borders extend?

The History of the Former Han Dynasty indicates that it lay to the east of the Zi River in modern-day eastern Hunan and western Jiangxi. The population of the kingdom was approximately 235,000. The History of the Former Han Dynasty has proved extremely important in the interpretation of what was unearthed at Mawangdui.

Another riddle: What was China's population 2000 years ago? According to the chapter on geography in Ban's History, China's population stood at roughly 60 million then. It would be impossible to count every single person in the country, but this figure is fairly authoritative as it is based on the total number of households reported by counties throughout China. The Yellow River drainage basin, at 200 persons per square kilometer, was the most densely populated part of the country. The area around Lake Taihu, on the other hand, was still a provincial backwater, and its population did not grow significantly until the Tang dynasty.

Ban Chao holds down the fort

Besides Ban Gu, Ban Biao also had another son named Ban Chao, an extraordinarily talented diplomat and military leader who is remembered as the protector of China's western border for 30 years. His fame endures in a well known saying: "In the time of the Western Han there was Zhang Qian; in the Eastern Han there was Ban Chao." During his three decades in Central Asia, Ban Chao conducted relations with many neighboring nations and used troops to safeguard the passage of merchants along the Silk Road. Zhang Qian was known for bringing grapes and alfalfa into China from the area around modern-day Uzbekistan, and Ban Chao made a similar contribution by introducing coriander and onions from regions to the west of the towering Pamir and Karakoram mountain ranges that mark the western border of modern-day China.

The question of whether there were direct contacts between China and the Roman empire has become a hot topic in recent years. Although it is generally thought that there were no direct links between the two empires, it is known that Ban Chao did dispatch Gan Ying on a mission to Rome in 97 AD. Daunted by the dangers of a Mediterranean passage, Gan only made it as far as Parthia. Upon returning he reported, "The kingdoms of Mengqi and Doule have acknowledged Han suzerainty and will send tributary missions." It is not known for certain what kingdoms Gan was referring to, but A History of Ancient East-West Cultural Contacts argues that Mengqi corresponds to modern-day Macedonia, which earlier this year established diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Could it be that somewhere in Macedonia lie records of a visit by Gan Ying?

And could it be that there simply wasn't any family other than the Ban clan capable of managing the Han dynasty's affairs along its western borders? So it might seem, for Ban Chao was succeeded by his son Ban Yong in 123 AD. After Ban Yong passed from the scene his position went unfilled for the rest of the Han dynasty. With the empire's power on the wane, the Eastern Han court retained its former status among the powers of central Asia in name only.

As for the women in this illustrious family, in addition to Ban Zhao there was also Ban Jieyu, aunt of Ban Biao and wife of the emperor Yuan Di. Liu Xiang wrote about her in Lie Nu Zhuan, praising her for great eloquence of speech.

Woman with the silver tongue

After the emperor Yuan Di died, his son fell under the sway of the beautiful Zhao Feiyan, who attempted to force the empress Xu from the throne by accusing her of casting evil spells on the concubines and bringing harm to the emperor. Ban Jieyu was caught up in the intrigue. When interrogated about the matter she replied, "No matter how we may work to cultivate our moral character, there is no guarantee that our efforts will be rewarded with good fortune in life. How much less, then, can we expect to benefit from evildoing? If spirits are capable of what we generally suppose, they will see right through the evil schemes of scoundrels, and will not lend their power to their spells. If spirits are not the powerful beings that we believe them to be, then spells are useless. Witchcraft? I wouldn't waste my time with it!" Ban Jieyu's eloquent denial of witchcraft won her the emperor's reprieve.

Thoroughly familiar with classical literature and history, Ban Jieyu was also a talented poet, and Ban Gu included her melancholy poetry in his History. The depth of this woman shines through in her poetry, which while moody does not give way to self-pity or grumbling.

Time Magazine has its Man of the Year, but we respectfully caution the recipient of this distinction: Don't let it go to your head. You've got a ways to go before you can match the family of the millennium!

p.24

Beginning with Ban Biao, three generations of the Ban family left an indelible mark on Chinese society through their outstanding accomplishments in historiography, literature, national defense, and diplomacy. Ban Gu, author of The History of the Former Han Dynasty, ranks alongside Sima Qian as one of China's most famous historians ever.