Ban surname is ranked 235th in the "Hundred Surnames". In the ranking of surnames by population nationwide in 2007, it was outside the top 300.
Some famous people with the surname Ban in history
In the late Western Han Dynasty, the descendants of the Ban surname entered the court. Ban Yi and Ban Kuang, although their official positions were not very high, their four children had outstanding performances: the eldest son Ban Bo, a scholar who was proficient in the "Poetry", "Documents", and "Analects of Confucius", once served as an envoy to the Xiongnu, and was appointed as the governor of Dingxiang.
He carefully selected his subordinates, captured bandits, and was called "divine" in the prefecture; the second son Ban Shi, was appointed as a censor, and was highly valued by the emperor for his extensive knowledge and talent; the third son Ban Zhi, who was the grandfather of Ban Gu, Ban Chao, and Ban Zhao, was known for his integrity and upright character, and finally served as a court official in Yansheng. His daughter was the famous talented woman Ban Jieyu. According to the records in "The Book of Han - Biography of Concubines", Ban Jieyu was virtuous and knowledgeable, and was greatly favored by Emperor Cheng. Once, when the emperor took her to the imperial garden, he even wanted her to ride in the same carriage, but she politely declined due to the violation of rites. Later, Emperor Cheng became infatuated with Zhao Feiyan, and left Ban Jieyu in Changxin Palace. Thus, she composed a poem to express her sorrow, with touching and beautiful language, which has been recited and passed down for thousands of years.
"The Book of Han" is an immortal historical work, authored by Ban Gu and Ban Zhao. In fact, the first person to start writing "The Book of Han" was not Ban Gu, but his father Ban Biao. Historical records state that Ban Biao was also a talented young man. During the early Eastern Han Dynasty, he served as the magistrate of Xu County, but was dismissed due to illness, then devoted himself to historical studies. He felt that the events recorded in "Records of the Grand Historian" ended in the Taichu period of Emperor Wu of Han, so he collected materials, compiled the stories and different texts from previous histories, and wrote more than 60 articles titled "Later Transmission." Unfortunately, he died. His son Ban Gu continued to complete "The Book of Han," and his daughter Ban Zhao (Cao Dajia) and others supplemented the parts of "Eight Tables" and "Astronomical Records" that Ban Gu had not completed. There were also notable figures such as Ban Kang, the Western Han cavalry commander, Ban Chao (the younger son of Ban Biao), Ban Yong, and Ban Yan, the county magistrate of Rao Yang in Zhili during the Ming Dynasty, all of whom were worthy of admiration.
Ban Biao
Zi Shupi, a person from Anling, Fufeng in the Later Han Dynasty. He was cautious and fond of ancient things. When he was over 20, he followed Wei Xuan to avoid disaster and wrote "The Discourse on the Mandate of Heaven" in an attempt to move him, but Wei Xuan remained unmoved. Ban Biao then moved to the western part of the Hexi region and provided strategies for Dou Rong, helping to promote the rise of the Han Dynasty. When the Han Guangwu Emperor first came to power, he was recommended as a talented scholar and appointed as the magistrate of Xu County, later resigning due to illness. Because of his great talent, he devoted himself to studying historical works. He gathered the stories of previous historians and incorporated various texts, later writing dozens of articles. These were used to supplement the missing sections of the "Records of the Grand Historian" after the Taichu period. Later, he also served as the head of Wangdu. He died in office at the age of 51.
Ban Gu
Zi Mengjian, son of Ban Biao of the Later Han Dynasty. His father Ban Biao wrote "The Book of Han," but died before completing it. Ban Gu returned home to continue his father's work, but was accused of secretly revising national history and was imprisoned. His younger brother Ban Chao submitted a petition to defend him, and he was released. Emperor Ming appointed him as the historian of the LanTai, later promoted to a secretary, and finally completed "The Book of Han." From the reign of Emperor Ming to the beginning of Emperor Zhang's Jianchu era, it took over 20 years. Only the "Eight Tables" and "Astronomical Records" were not completed. In the fourth year of Jianchu, Emperor Zhang asked scholars and doctoral students to discuss the differences in the "Five Classics," and Ban Gu was ordered to write "The White Tiger Public Morality Theory." In the first year of Emperor He's Yongyuan era, Dou Xian led an expedition against the Xiongnu, and Ban Gu served as a military supervisor. In the fourth year, the emperor conspired with eunuchs to kill Xian, and Ban Gu was arrested by the magistrate of Luoyang and died in prison in the same year. He was 60 years old.
Ban Chao
Zi Zhongsheng. The son of Ban Biao and the younger brother of Ban Gu. After Ban Biao's death, the family fell into poverty, and Ban Chao had to work as a scribe for the government to support his mother. He once threw down his brush and sighed, saying, "A true man should not spend his life copying books. He should strive to achieve glory in foreign lands like Fu Jizhi and Zhang Qian, thus earning a title of marquis. How can he stay with brushes forever?" In the sixteenth year of Emperor Ming's Ping, he led 36 people to visit the Western Regions, bringing peace to more than 50 cities in the Western Regions. Ban Chao spent 31 years in the Western Regions. He was appointed as the protector of the Western Regions and was ennobled as the Marquis of Dingyuan. He achieved his ambition. In his old age, he returned to Luoyang and was appointed as the commander of the Army of Bow and Arrow. He died the same year, aged 70.
Ban Zhao
Also known as Ji, Zi Hui Ban, from Anling, Fufeng (now northeast of Xianyang, Shaanxi Province). She was born into a wealthy and prestigious family with a large collection of books and sufficient wealth. Her father Ban Biao was well-versed in literature; her elder brother Ban Gu was a famous historian and writer; her younger brother Ban Chao was a renowned general who achieved fame in the Western Regions. Under the influence of her family and the impact of her brothers, combined with her own intelligence and efforts, Ban Zhao became a learned scholar. Her outstanding contribution to the country's cultural cause was to organize and complete the important historical work "The Book of Han." When she died, the current empress dowager personally wore mourning clothes and held a state funeral for her. This woman was the first female historian in China, Ban Zhao.
Ban Yan
A famous scholar of the Ming Dynasty (date of birth unknown).
Ban Di
A Grand Secretary of the Qing Dynasty (date of birth unknown).
Famous people with the surname Ban
Ban Jie et al.
