Ban Chao (Chinese: 班超; Wade-Giles: Pan Ch'ao, 32-102 CE), born in Xianyang, Shaanxi, was a Chinese general and cavalry commander in charge of the administration of the "Western Regions" (Central Asia) during the Eastern Han dynasty. He repelled the Xiongnu and secured Chinese control on the Tarim Basin region, and led a military expedition to the doorstep of Europe, as far as Parthia and beyond the Caspian Sea. He fought for 31 years. Portrait of Ban Chao. ... For alternate uses, see Number 32. ... For other uses, see number 102. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name, is an extra name that could be used in place of the given name. ... Traditional Chinese (Traditional Chinese: 正體字/繁體字, Simplified Chinese: 正体字/繁体字) refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... For alternate uses, see Number 32. ... For other uses, see number 102. ... Xianyang (Simplified Chinese: 咸阳; Traditional Chinese: 咸陽; pinyin: ) was the capital of the state of Qin during the Warring States Period in Chinese history, and remained to be capital during the short-lived Qin Dynasty. ...   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ShÇŽnxÄ«; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the Peoples Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River as well as the Qinling Mountains across the... The Western Regions (西域) is a historical region of Central Asia which corresponds roughly with the modern Chinese province of Xinjiang. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... A Xiongnu belt buckle. ... Taklamakan Desert in the Tarim Basin. ... Parthia[1] (Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was a civilization situated in the northeast of modern Iran, but at its height covering all of Iran proper, as well as regions of the modern countries of Armenia, Iraq, Georgia, eastern Turkey, eastern Syria, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, the Persian Gulf... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ...

Control of the Tarim Basin

Ban Chao, like his predecessors Huo Qubing and Wei Qing from the earlier-half of the Han Dynasty before him, is said to have been extremely effective at expelling the Xiongnu from the Tarim Basin, and at bringing the various people of the Western Regions under Chinese rule during the time of the Han Mingdi Emperor (57-75). This helped secure and flourish the trade routes we have come to know nowadays as the Silk Road. He was generally outnumbered, but skillfully played on their divisions. The kingdoms of Loulan, Khotan and Kashgar came under Chinese rule. Huo Qubing (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Huo Chüping, b. ... Wèi QÄ«ng (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Wei Ching, d. ... Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication to Cao Wei 220... A Xiongnu belt buckle. ... Taklamakan Desert in the Tarim Basin. ... Format of naming convention in English is under discussion at Wikipedia talk:Naming conventions (Chinese). ... The Silk Road extending from Southern Europe through Arabia, Egypt, Persia, India till China. ... A carved wooden beam from Loulan, 3-4th century CE. The patterns show influences from ancient western civilizations. ... Mosque in Khotan. ... Location of Kashgar Kashgars Sunday market Kashgar (also spelled Cascar[1]) (Uyghur: /; Chinese: ; pinyin: , ), is an oasis city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

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 Zhangdi. He obtained the military help of the Kushan Empire in 84 in repelling the Sogdians 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. Luoyang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Emperor Zhang of Han China, ch. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 0s BC - 0s - 10s - 20s - 30s - 40s - 50s - 60s - 70s - 80s - 90s - 100s Years: 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 Events Possible date of Battle of Mons Graupius (83 or 84) Pliny the Younger was sevir... The Sogdians were an ancient people of Central Asia, who inhabited the region known to the West as Sogdiana. ... Turfan (Modern Chinese 吐魯番; pinyin: Tulufan, ancient Chinese Gaochang, also: Kao-chang, Turpan) is an oasis city in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

In recognition for their support to the Chinese, the Kushans (named Yuezhi in Chinese sources) requested, but were denied, a Han princess, even after they had sent presents to the Chinese court. In retaliation, they marched on Ban Chao in 90 with a force of 70,000, but, exhausted by the expedition, were finally defeated by the smaller Chinese force. The Yuezhi retreated and paid tribute to the Chinese Empire from then on, until they managed to set their own king in Kashgar in 116. Languages Unknown, although the epigraphy ranges from Greek language to Bactrian, and often considered to have spoken a Tocharian language. ... Languages Chinese languages Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... This article is about the year 90. ... Location of Kashgar Kashgars Sunday market Kashgar (also spelled Cascar[1]) (Uyghur: /; Chinese: ; pinyin: , ), is an oasis city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Events Roman Emperor Trajan completes his invasion of Parthia by capturing the cities of Seleucia, Ctesiphon and Susa, marking the high-water mark of the Roman Empires eastern expansion. ...

Expedition to the doorstep of Europe

Remains of an ancient Chinese crossbow, 2nd century BCE.

Ban Chao became Protector General (都護; Duhu) in 91, and was based at Kucha. In 97, Ban Chao crossed the Tian Shan and Pamir mountains with an army of 70,000 men in a campaign against the Xiongnu, who were harassing the trade routes now known as the Silk Road. The Han made an alliance with the Parthians and established base on the shores of the Caspian Sea and at Antiochia Margiana (Merv), near the Parthian Kingdom. From here he reportedly sent an envoy named Gan Ying to Daqin (Rome). Gan Ying left a detailed account of western countries, although he probably only reached the Black Sea before turning back. Download high resolution version (527x683, 127 KB)Ancient Chinese crossbow (2nd century BCE). ... Download high resolution version (527x683, 127 KB)Ancient Chinese crossbow (2nd century BCE). ... This article is about the weapon. ... (3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events BC 168 Battle of Pydna -- Macedonian phalanx defeated by Romans BC 148 Rome conquers Macedonia BC 146 Rome destroys Carthage in the Third Punic War BC 146 Rome conquers... Pliny the Younger was named a tribunus plebis. ... Kucha/Kuchar (Chinese Simplified: 库车; Traditional: 庫車; pinyin KùchÄ“; also romanized as Chiu-tzu, Kiu-che, Kuei-tzu. ... Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 0s BC - 0s - 10s - 20s - 30s - 40s - 50s - 60s - 70s - 80s - 90s - 100s Years: 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 Events Pope Evaristus succeeds Pope Clement I Tacitus advanced to consulship. ... The Tian Shan (Chinese: 天山; Pinyin: Tiān Shān; celestial mountains) mountain range is located in Central Asia, in the border region of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of western China. ... A photograph of Ismail Samani Peak (then known as Peak Communism) taken in 1989. ... A Xiongnu belt buckle. ... The Silk Road extending from Southern Europe through Arabia, Egypt, Persia, India till China. ... Merv (Russian: Мерв, from Persian: مرو, Merw, sometimes transliterated Marw or Mary; cf. ... Merv (Russian: Мерв, from Persian: مرو, Merw, sometimes transliterated Marw or Mary; cf. ... Reproduction of a Parthian warrior as depicted on Trajans Column The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Origins Bust of Parthian soldier, Esgh-abad Museum, Turkmenia. ... Gan Ying (Chinese:甘英; Wade-Giles:Kan Ying), was a Chinese military ambassador who was sent on a mission to Rome in AD 97 by the Chinese general Ban Chao. ... Daqin (Ch:大秦) is the ancient Chinese name for the Roman Empire. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ...

The Han Chinese army's alliance with the Parthians had established some forts at a distance of only a few days march for the Han soldiers to the Parthian capital Ctesiphon, itself only about 32 miles from present-day Baghdad, and held the region for several years. In 116, the Roman Emperor Trajan advanced into Parthia to Ctesiphon and came within one day's march of the Chinese border garrisons, but direct contacts apparently never took place. However, J. Innes Miller speculates that Trajan's Parthian campaigns "should be interpreted to some extent in the light" of these Chinese actions.^[1] Some time after this, the first of several Roman embassies to China is recorded in Chinese sources, coming from the sea route in 166, and a second one in 284. Parthia[1] (Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was a civilization situated in the northeast of modern Iran, but at its height covering all of Iran proper, as well as regions of the modern countries of Armenia, Iraq, Georgia, eastern Turkey, eastern Syria, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, the Persian Gulf... Ctesiphon, 1932 Ctesiphon (Parthian and Pahlavi: Tyspwn as well as Tisfun, Persian: ‎, also known as in Arabic Madain, Maden or Al-Madain: المدائن) is one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia and the capital of the Parthian Empire and its successor, the Sassanid Empire, for more than 800 years... This article is about the Roman Emperor. ... Sino-Roman relations started first on an indirect basis with the opening of the Silk Road during the 2nd century BC. China and Rome progressively inched closer with the embassies of Zhang Qian in 130 BC and the military expeditions of China to Central Asia, until general Ban Chao attempted... Events Pope Soter succeeds Pope Anicetus Change of Patriarch of Constantinople from Patriarch Laurence to Patriarch Alypius Dacia invaded by barbarians Conflict erupts on the Danube frontier between Rome and the Germanic tribe of the Marcomanni Roman envoy sent out by emperor Antoninus Pius. ... For other uses, see number 284. ...

Ban Chao was created the Marquess of Dingyuan (定遠侯, i.e., "the Marquess who stabilized faraway places") for his services to the Empire and returned to the capital Loyang at the age of 70 years old, and before long died there in 102. Following his death, the power of the Xiongnu in Western Territory increased again, and subsequent Chinese emporers were never to reach so far to the west. Luoyang (Simplified Chinese: 洛阳; Traditional Chinese: 洛陽; pinyin: Luòyáng) is a city in Henan province, China. ...

According to a Chinese saying Ban Chao was one of the most prominent actors in the expansion of China to the west, on a level with Zhang Qian: Zhang Qian (張騫) was an imperial envoy in the 2nd century BCE, during the time of the Han Dynasty. ...

"In the time of the Western Han there was Zhang Qian,

In the Eastern Han there was Ban Chao."

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 Chao's brother and sister) Ban Zhao. Ban Chao was probably the key source for the cultural and socio-economic data on the Western Regions contained in the Hanshu. Ban Biao (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Pan Piao, 3 CE—54 CE), born in Xianyang, Shaanxi, was a Chinese historian, and an officer of the Han Dynasty. ... The Book of Han (Chinese: 漢書/汉书) is a classic Chinese historical writing covering the history of Western Han from 206 BC to 25. ... For the Chinese deity, see Pangu. ... Ban Zhao (Chinese:班昭; Wade-Giles:Pan Chao, c. ...

Ban Chao's 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 Chao'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; 35-100; daughter)

Ban Biao (Chinese: ; Wade-Giles: Pan Piao, 3 CE—54 CE), born in Xianyang, Shaanxi, was a Chinese historian, and an officer of the Han Dynasty. ... Events By place Roman Empire The rule of Augustus is renewed for a ten-year period. ... This article is about the year 54. ... For the Chinese deity, see Pangu. ... For alternate uses, see Number 32. ... This article is about the year 92. ... For alternate uses, see Number 32. ... For other uses, see number 102. ... Ban Zhao (Chinese:班昭; Wade-Giles:Pan Chao, c. ... For alternate uses, see Number 35. ... Pliny the Younger advances to consulship. ...

Famous Quotes

• "If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch the tiger's cub?" (不入虎穴，焉得虎子)
• "Clear water can not harbor big fish, clean politics (or strict enforcement of regulations) can not foster harmony among the general public" (水清無大魚，察政不得下和)

Ban Chao in idioms

See four-character idiom:

• "Throw away your writing brush and join the military!" (投筆從戎) based on his words "A brave man has no other plan but to follow Fu and Zhang Qian's footsteps and do something and become somebody in a foreign land. How can I waste my life on writing? (大丈夫無他志略，猶當效傅介子、張騫立功異域，以取封侯，安能久事筆硯間乎？) in Hou Hanshu.
• "Clear water harbors no fish." (水清無魚)

成语 chéngyÇ” Four-character idioms, or chéngyÇ” (成語/成语, literally to become (part of) the language) are widely used in 文言 Classical Chinese, a literary form used in the Chinese written language from antiquity to until 1919, and are still commonly used in Vernacular writing today. ... Ink brushes (筆, in Japanese fude) are speciality brushes used in East Asian calligraphy. ...

Ban Chao of today

Pan Chao (1108) is a frigate built in Taiwan based on the Oliver Hazard Perry class-design. It is currently in service for the Republic of China Navy. Sixth of seven Taiwanese-built frigates based on the USN Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7) design. ... For the bird, see Frigatebird. ... The USS McInerney (FFG 8), an Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate. ... The Republic of China Navy (中華民國海軍; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Hǎijūn) is the maritime branch of the armed forces of the Republic of China. ...

See also

• Battle of Yiwulu
• Guo Xun
• Zhang Qian

Combatants Northern Xiongnu Han Dynasty Commanders Prince Huyan Dou Gu Geng Chong Strength Unknown 12,000 Han cavalry with Qiang and Southern Xiongnu auxiliary cavalry Casualties 1,000 dead Unknown The Battle of Yiwulu, was a battle under a major expedition against the Xiongnu launched by the Han Dynasty in... Guo Xun 郭恂, was a general along with Ban Chao sent by Dou Gu into Western Region during a diplomatic expedition. ... Zhang Qian (張騫) was an imperial envoy in the 2nd century BCE, during the time of the Han Dynasty. ...

References