Control of the Tarim Basin

Ban Chao, like his predecessors Huo Qubing and Wei Qing from the Former Han dynasty before him, was effective at expelling the Xiongnu from the Tarim 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 of Khotan and Kashgar came under Chinese rule by 74 CE. "Pan Ch'ao crushed fresh rebellions in Kashgar (80, 87) and Yarkand (88), and made the Wusun of the Ili his allies."

Ban Chao was recalled to Luoyang, but then sent again to the Western Region area four years later, during the reign of the new emperor Han Zhang Di. He obtained the military help of the Kushan Empire in 84 in repelling the Kangju who were trying to support the rebellion of the king of Kashgar, and the next year in his attack on Turpan, 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 as Da Yuezhi in Chinese sources) requested, but were denied, a Han 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).

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). A Wuji Colonel was re-established and, commanding five hundred soldiers, stationed in the Kingdom of Nearer Jushi, within the walls of Gaochang, 29 kilometres southeast of Turfan. 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.

In 97 CE, Ban Chao sent an envoy, Gan Ying, who reached the Persian Gulf or the Black Sea and left the first recorded Chinese account of Europe. Some modern authors have claimed that Ban Chao advanced to the Caspian Sea, however, this interpretation has been criticized as a misreading.

In 102 CE, Ban Chao was retired as Protector General of the Western Regions due to age and ill health, and returned to the capital Luoyang 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). 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 the Tang dynasty.

A family of historians

Ban Chao also belonged to a family of historians. His father was Ban Biao (3–54 CE) who started the History of the Western Han Dynasty (Hanshu; The Book of Han) in 36, which was completed by his son Ban Gu (32–92) and his daughter Ban 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 the Hanshu. Ban Chao's grandmother on the paternal side was Xiongnu and was a descendant of the Xiongnu king Xiutu. The partly Xiongnu origins of Ban Chao might help explain his skills in matters related to China's history and foreign relations.

Ban Chao's youngest son Ban 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.

Ban Chaos 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 Xiong (班雄; ?–after 107; Ban Chao's eldest son)

　　　• Ban Shi (班始; ?–130; Ban Xiong's son)

　　• Ban Yong (班勇; ?–after 127; Ban Chao's youngest son)

　• Ban Zhao (班昭; 45–116; Ban Chao's sister) She's the one who petitioned the reigning Emperor to let his brother return home from his posting.

Famous quotes

(Chengyu)

• "Throw away your writing brush and join the military!" – based on his words "A brave man has no other plan but to follow Fu Jiezi and Zhang Qian's footsteps and do something and become somebody in a foreign land. How can I waste my life on writing? (大丈夫无他志略，犹当效傅介子、张骞立功异域，以取封侯，安能久事笔砚间乎？) in Book of the Later Han.

• "...he who does not enter the tiger's lair will never catch its cubs." (不入虎穴，不得虎子) – similar to the saying "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

• "To die without glory is not the act of valiant men." (死无所名，非壮士也)

生平

拯救大哥

班固因父亲班彪过世，回家服丧，整理父亲的遗物时发现《续史记》手稿，于是就继续写作。没想到却被人告发班固「私修国史」，意图诋毁皇帝等事由，班固因此被抓去洛阳等候问罪。班超得知大哥班固被诬告之后，立刻上书喊冤，说明班固修史书不是｢私修国史｣，而是要｢颂扬汉德｣、使人视古鉴今，汉明帝看到班超的陈情文之后，下令释放班固，使班固官复原职，并准以续修史书（〈汉书〉）。某日，汉明帝问班固：「卿家的弟弟（班超）在吗？｣班固回答说班超现在于洛阳官府抄书赚取微薄薪水养家，明帝得知，立刻给予班家生活津贴。

投笔从戎

成语「投笔从戎」，意指读书人投身军旅。班超不仅是投笔从戎的语源，同时也是历代投笔从戎者的榜样及祖师。

班超年少时有大志向，为人孝顺严谨，口才出众。后来在永平五年（公元62年），兄长班固被召入洛阳为官，班超与母亲随之一同迁居京城。当时家里比较贫困，班超为官府抄写书籍，赚取微薄的薪水以贴补家用。

据《东观汉记》载，有一天，他对抄书感到厌烦，便停止抄写，投笔并感叹道：「大丈夫当效傅介子、张骞立功异域，以取封侯，安能久事笔砚乎！」在被他人嘲笑后，班超又说：「小子安知壮士之志哉！」

汉明帝任命他为兰台令史，后来又被免官。

|thumb|公元78年班超第一次出使西域，并成功机智地平定了鄯善国的过程。

不入虎穴，焉得虎子

永平十六年（73年），班超随奉车都尉窦固出击匈奴。窦固以班超为假司马，派他攻打伊吾（在今中国新疆维吾尔自治区哈密市一带）。班超在蒲类海大胜敌军，得到窦固的赏识，便任命他与从事郭恂加上兵士三十六人俱使西域。班超到罗布泊西南的鄯善国（今新疆东南部），当时匈奴也在极力争取鄯善王。班超刚到鄯善国，国王非常礼待班超，但几日后突然冷淡下来。班超发现到「必有匈奴使者来」而导致了鄯善王犹疑，他立即把侍者叫来，谎称「匈奴使者来了几日，现在哪儿。」侍者以为班超知道了事实就告诉了实情。班超立即招集所有兵士三十六人，痛饮一场，酒酣之际：「我等在绝域，是想立大功；而匈奴使者仅来几天，国王就开始冷淡我们。若将我们送与匈奴，骸骨将是豺狼的美餐」，并说「不入虎穴，焉得虎子，当今之计，独有因夜以火攻之」。正好那晚大风，班超令十人持鼓躲藏到匈奴使者营房的后面，约定「火起，全部鸣鼓高呼。」，班超顺风纵火，营房前后锣鼓暄天，致使对方惊乱。班超亲手格杀3人，吏兵斩杀30多人，其馀百馀人均被烧死。第二天一回来便报告了郭恂，恂大惊，超知其意：「班超怎么会独吞功劳！」郭恂喜出望外。班超趁机召见鄯善王广，出示匈奴使者的全部首级，鄯善王广叩头：「愿属汉，绝无二心」。班超在这一战中留下了「不入虎穴，焉得虎子」的名句。皇帝和窦固对班超的智勇非常欣赏，窦固要给班超增加人手，为班超所拒绝。

威震西域

之后班超从鄯善前往于阗国，于阗国是当时西域强国，国王广德带领其他各国攻莎车国，杀其国王。班超至，广德对其不甚礼遇。该国信巫，巫师对广德说「神怒何故欲归汉，汉使有祸马，需取之祠于神」。于是广德派人向班超索马，班超让巫师自己来取，然后怒斩该巫师，将首级送与广德。广德早耳闻班超在鄯善击杀匈奴使者之事，感到十分惶恐，因杀匈奴监护使者而降汉。西域南道诸国纷纷遣使向汉朝通好。班超升为军司马。次年，西进疏勒，班超甚至带领自己为数不多的手下，推翻龟兹国在疏勒国（国都在今新疆喀什市）所立的傀儡政权，废亲附匈奴的疏勒王兜题，重立疏勒故王兄长之子为王，建立新的亲汉政权。

永平十八年（75年），汉明帝驾崩，焉耆（今新疆焉耆回族自治县一带）乘机向汉进攻，龟兹等也发兵攻打疏勒。班超与疏勒王忠坚守盘橐城拒击焉耆进犯。这时北匈奴在西域反扑，车师、焉耆等国乘机叛离，汉章帝即位，担心班超孤立无援，下诏将他召回。疏勒、于阗等国为此十分忧虑，班超至于阗，受当地人挽留，再次北上。班超击破疏勒叛降于龟兹的两座城池，疏勒复安。

平定诸国

建初三年（78年），班超率疏勒、于阗、康居等国兵一万馀人攻破匈奴控制的姑墨石城（今新疆温宿县城西北）。与徐干所率援军击败反汉的疏勒都尉番辰。之后上书请兵，意图趁机平定西域，得到章帝的支持。

班超在击破莎车（今新疆莎车县）、疏勒的叛将后，上书请求与乌孙联合进攻龟兹，得到章帝的首肯。建初八年（83年），拜班超为将兵长史，然而负责护送乌孙使者的李邑在到达于阗后，因龟兹的攻势而不敢前进，继而上书声称西域的收复不可能成功，同时诋毁班超「安乐外国，无内顾心」。但章帝相信班超的忠诚，命令李邑服从班超的调遣，而班超却并不对李邑怀恨在心，仍派他返京。

第二年，班超联合疏勒和于阗进攻莎车，而疏勒王忠反被莎车利诱而反叛。班超便改立疏勒的府丞成大为王，并在三年后忠诈降时将其斩首，打通了南方的通道。

在之后从章和元年（87年）至永元六年（94年）的数年里，班超降服了莎车、龟兹、姑墨和温宿（今新疆乌什县），并与乌孙取得联系，保护了西域各族不受匈奴胁迫和丝绸之路的畅通。继而在永元三年（91年），他被任命为都护，管辖西域各国，驻龟兹它乾城，此时西域诸国已多半归降汉朝。

永元二年（90年），月氏贵霜副王谢会率兵七万入西域，班超采取「坚壁清野」，将其击退。

永元六年（94年），班超讨平焉耆、危须（新疆焉耆回族自治县东北）和尉犁（今新疆库尔勒市城南），至此西域五十馀国都已归附于汉。第二年，班超被封为定远侯，后人称其为「班定远」。

回归故土

永元十二年（100年），班超因年老思乡，上书请求汉和帝准许其卸任并回到中原，信中称「臣不敢望到酒泉郡，但愿生入玉门关」。同时班超的妹妹班昭也上书为他请求。和帝受到感动，召班超回京。班超于永元十四年（102年）八月，回到洛阳，拜官射声校尉。一个月后即因为胸胁疾病逝世。长子班雄嗣位。

班超在西域共达三十一年，不仅善于用武力镇抚各国，更善于用外交手段去联络较远的国家。在班超的努力下，塔里木盆地的统治权又归到了汉朝，再现了一百年前汉宣帝的辉煌。但接管的任尚却无视班超离开时留给他的「宜荡佚简易，宽小过，总大纲」的劝告，在短短数年内就撤守西域。同时匈奴人也同样在开展类似的行动，推翻亲汉的政权，与新政权结盟。这样不断地反覆，一直到20年后，班超之子班勇才把匈奴赶走，继承父业，再通西域。班氏父子为开通西域，密切汉族和西北少数民族的关系，作出重要贡献。

评价

• 范晔在《后汉书》中称：祭肜、耿秉启匈奴之权，班超、梁慬奋西域之略，卒能成功立名，享受爵位，荐功祖庙，勒勋于后，亦一时之士也。

纪念

纪念地

• 班超纪念馆：位于洛阳孟津朝阳镇煤窑新村，内有班超墓。

• 班超城：位于喀什市东南郊，原为疏勒国宫城，班超以此为基地筑城练兵达17年。为纪念班超，盘橐城又叫班超城。建有「盘橐城遗址公园」，内有班超纪念馆区和班超雕塑区。

军舰

• 中华民国海军成功级巡防舰6号舰班超号PFG-1108是一艘以班超来命名的军舰

道路

• 班超路：位于台湾高雄市的一条道路!

地理发现

永元九年（97年），班超遣副使甘英出使大秦（即罗马帝国），经过安息、条支，到达地中海沿岸（一说波斯湾），因安息人抵谓英：「海水广大，往来者逢善风三月乃得度，若遇迟风，亦有二岁者，故入海人皆赍三岁粮。海中善使人思土恋慕，数有死亡者。」，甘英遂止步而回，这是有历史记录的中原王朝官员达到最西的地方。

家庭

父母

• 班彪，东汉著名的文学家、史学家，过世前已约略完成《汉书》的轮廓

• 金氏，金敞之女

兄弟姐妹

• 兄 班固，《汉书》的主要编纂者

• 妹 班昭，号「曹大家」

子女

• 长子：班雄

• 三子：班勇

世系图

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