Ban Gu

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For the Chinese deity, see Pangu.

Ban Gu (Chinese: 班固; Wade-Giles: Pan Ku, 32-92), was a 1st century Chinese historian. He was born into a scholarly family, and his father, Ban Biao, was a prominent historian. He took over from his father responsibility for writing a history of the former Han Dynasty, a book known in modern times as the Book of Han. However, his work was interrupted by political problems, as his association with the family of Empress Dowager Dou led to his imprisonment and death (either by execution or torture). A few volumes of his book in 13-20th (eight chronological charts) and 26th (astronomical biography), however, was completed by his younger sister, Ban Zhao, and became a model for many other works about later dynasties.

He also wrote in the main poetic genre of the Han era, a kind of poetry interspersed with prose called fu (rhapsody). Some are anthologized by Xiao Tong in his Selections of Refined Literature in the 6th century.

[edit] Ban's family:

• Ban Biao (班彪; 3-54; father)
  • Ban Gu (班固; 32-92; first son)
  • Ban Chao (班超; 32-102; second son)
  • Ban Zhao (班昭; daughter)

[edit] See also

• Twenty-Four Histories