The Book of Han (Ch: 漢書, Hanshu) is a classic Chinese historical writing covering the history of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE-9 CE). It is also sometimes called Qian Hanshu (Ch:前漢書, "Book of the Former Han") in order to distinguish it from the Hou Hanshu ("Book of the Later Han"), which covers the Eastern Han Dynasty.

The Hanshu was started by Ban Biao (班彪; AD 3-54). Following his death, Ban Biao's son, Ban Gu (班固; AD 32-92), continued working on the book, which grew to 100 chapters and included essays on law, science, geography, and literature.

His sister Ban Zhao (班昭) finished the writing fourteen years after Ban Gu was put in prison, and made the eight chronological charts (百官公卿表) and treatise on astronomy (天文志) that are included with the work.

Their other brother Ban Chao, a famous Chinese general who conquered western lands as far as the Caspian sea, was probably the key source for the cultural and socio-economic data on the Western Regions contained in the Hanshu.

The Hanshu set the format for the writings of later Chinese dynasties, and today it is a reference used to study the Han period. It is part of the Four histories canon, together with:

• Shiji (Ch:史記, "Records of the Great Historian") by Sima Qian
• Sanguo Zhi (Ch:三國志, "Records of the Three Kingdoms") by Chen Shou
• Hou Hanshu (Ch: 後漢書, "Book of the Later Han") by Fan Yeh

It is also part of the Twenty-Four Histories canon of Chinese history.

Contributors

• 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)

See also

• Twenty-Four Histories

References

• Hulsewé, A. F. P. and Loewe, M. A. N. 1979. China in Central Asia: The Early Stage 125 BC – AD 23: an annotated translation of chapters 61 and 96 of the History of the Former Han Dynasty. E. J. Brill, Leiden.

External Links

• Pan Chao (Ban Zhao), Woman Historian
• The Han Histories

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• Silk Road Seattle (The Silk Road Seattle website contains many useful resources including a number of full-text historical works, maps, photos, etc.)