Translation of excerpts from Ban Chao's biography

Ban Chao, a native of Pingling County, Fufeng County, is the youngest son of Ban Biao, the magistrate of Xuxian County. He is ambitious and informal, but he has a good character.

Working hard at home is not embarrassing at all. Ban Chao is eloquent and well-read.

In the fifth year of Han Yongping, Ban Chao's brother Ban Gu was recruited as a school extremely by the court and went to Luoyang with his brother and mother. Because of his poor family background, he was often employed by the government and made a living by copying books, which took a long time and was very hard. He once stopped his work, threw his pen aside and sighed, "As a gentleman, although he doesn't have any outstanding strategies, he always has to learn from Fu Jiezi and Zhang Qian, which have made great achievements abroad, in order to be promoted. How can he always make a living by doing this kind of pen and ink? " Colleagues around laughed at this. Ban Chao said: "How can ordinary people understand the mind of people with lofty ideals?" Later, he went to see a fortune teller, and the fortune teller said to him, "Dear senior, although you are an ordinary scholar, you will be shut out thousands of miles away in the future." Ban Chao wants to know. The fortune teller pointed to him and said, "Your chin is like a swallow, and your head and neck are like a tiger. Swallows can fly and tigers eat meat. This is the fate of Wan Li. " After a long time, Ming Di once asked Ban Gu, "Where is your brother now?" Ban Gu replied, "I am helping the government copy books to support my mother." So Ming Di appointed Ban Chao as an official of Lantai. Later, he was dismissed because he made a mistake.

In the 16th year of Yongping, Dou Gu, a captain in the car, led troops to crusade against Xiongnu, appointed Ban Chao as a fake Sima, and asked him to lead an army to attack Yiwu. The two sides fought in the Prey Sea, and Ban Chao killed many enemies. Dou Gu thought he was very talented, so he sent him to the Western Regions with Guo Yao, the chief of staff. When Ban Chao arrived in Shanshan, the king received them politely, but soon he suddenly became careless and ignored. Ban Chao said to his entourage, "Haven't you noticed that your attitude towards light has become indifferent? This must be because an emissary of the Northern Xiongnu came here, which made him hesitate and didn't know who to obey. Anyone with a clear head can foresee what hasn't happened yet, and it's obvious now? ! "So Ban Chao found a good man to serve the Han envoy and lied to him, saying," I know that the envoy of the Northern Xiongnu has been here for many days. Where do you live now? " When the waiter panicked, he confessed all the facts. Ban Chao detained his attendants, and gathered all the 36 people sent together to have a drink with you. When they were very happy, they incited them with words and said, "You and I are both in a foreign country, and we want to make contributions and get rich. But now, just a few days after the messenger of the northern Xiongnu came, Wang Guang of Shanshan was rude to us. If King Shanshan had bound us to the northern Xiongnu, wouldn't we all become food in the mouth of the jackal? What do you think this should do? " Everyone said with one voice, "We are in danger now. It's up to you to live or die. " Ban Chao said, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Now, the only way is to attack the Xiongnu emissary with fire tonight. They don't know how many of us there are, and they will feel very scared. We can take this opportunity to destroy them. As long as we destroy them, the light will be scared to death, and we will be finished. They suggested, "Let's discuss it with Guo." . "Ban Chao said excitedly," it depends on today's every move. Guo is a mediocre civil servant. When he hears this, he will expose our action plan because of fear, and we will die in vain and have a bad reputation. This is not a strong person. " Everyone said, "good".

As soon as it got dark, Ban Chao led the troops to attack the residence of the northern Xiongnu emissary. It was windy that night, and Ban Chao ordered ten people to hide behind the house with little snare drum. Meeting: "As soon as I saw the fire, I immediately beat the drums and shouted." The rest of the people with swords, bows and arrows, lie in ambush on both sides of the door. So Ban Chao lit the wind himself, and the people around him beat drums and shouted. Xiongnu people are in panic. Ban Chao personally killed three people, and his men also chopped more than 30 messengers and followers of the northern Xiongnu, and more than 100 people were all burned to death in it. Early the next morning, Ban Chao went back and told Guo Yao. Guo Yao was shocked, but his face changed again in a moment. Ban Chao saw through his mind and raised his hand and said to him, "Although you didn't act together, how can I, Ban Chao, have the heart to take the credit alone?" Guo Yao is happy. Then, Ban Chao invited Wang Guang and Shanshan, and showed him the heads of the northern Xiongnu messengers. Shanshan shocked the country. Ban Chao tried to make Xiao know and comfort him, so he accepted his son as a hostage. Ban Chao went back to report to Dou Gu, and Dou Gu was very happy. He wrote to the imperial court, reported Ban Chao's contribution in detail, and requested to send envoys to the Western Regions separately. Emperor Han Ming appreciated Ban Chao's courage and gave an order to Dou Gu: "Why not send an effective envoy like Ban Chao and choose someone else?" Ban Chao can be promoted to a charger and let him continue to complete the task. "

Ban Chao accepted the task again, and Dou Gu asked him to take a few more people. He said: "I just need to lead more than 30 people who follow me. If there is an accident, more people will add more burdens. " At that time, Khotan Wang Guangde had just defeated shache, so his prestige increased greatly, and he dominated the South Island, and the Northern Xiongnu sent messengers to guard it. Ban Chao westbound, first arrived in Khotan. King Guangde's attitude and etiquette are very cold, and the customs of this country are superstitious about witches. The wizard spread the air and said, "The gods are angry. Why did you submit to the Han Dynasty? Ambassador China has a fine horse with yellow hair from Darkmouth. Get me a sacrifice to the gods as soon as possible! " Khotan Wang Guangde sent someone to Ban Chao for horses? Horses. Ban Chao has secretly learned about this plot, but he still promised to give it to the horse, but only offered to let the wizard come and ask for it himself. Soon the wizard came, and Ban Chao immediately cut off his head and personally gave it to Khotan Wang Guangde, and blamed him for it. Guangde had long heard that Ban Chao had destroyed the Xiongnu emissary in Shanshan, and was very frightened. He ordered to attack and kill the northern Xiongnu emissary and surrender to Ban Chao. Ban Chao rewarded Guangde and liegeman, and Khotan was settled.

At that time, King Qiuci came to power with the support of the Northern Xiongnu. Relying on the influence of Xiongnu in the north, it occupied the northern part of the western regions, broke Shule country, killed the king, and set up another Qiuci pocket, named Shule King. The following spring, Ban Chao led his men to Shule, which is only nine miles from Pan Zhicheng, where Park Kate lives. He sent someone to Tian Yu in advance to persuade Park Kate to surrender to China. He also told Tian Si: "Shu is not a thrifty person, and thrifty people will certainly not serve him faithfully. If he refuses to surrender, he will be detained. " When Tian Yu got there, he found himself lonely, with no intention of betraying. Tian Yu caught him off guard and tied him up. Pocket's people had an accident and ran away in fear. Tian Xun sent a flying horse to report to Ban Chao. Ban Chao immediately went to the city, called all the officials of Shule, counted the crimes of King Qiuci, and made another nephew of the former king Shule the king. Shule people were in high spirits. Zhong Wang, the new country, and his subordinate officials demanded that Douti be killed, but Ban Chao refused. In order to show his prestige in the western regions, he was released and sent away. So Shule and Qiuci forged a hatred.

In the eighteenth year of Yongping, Emperor Han Ming died. Yan took advantage of China's national mourning to capture the mansion of Mu Chen, the capital of the Western Regions. Ban Chao was isolated, while Qiuci, Gu Mo and Mexi sent troops to attack Shule many times. Ban Chao sticks to Pan Zhicheng, and Shule and Zhong Wang are each other's starting and ending points. However, the serenade lasted for more than a year. At that time, Emperor Zhang Han had just ascended the throne. Considering that Mu Chen was completely annihilated, Ban Chao was afraid that he could not stand on his own feet, so he ordered a letter to recall Ban Chao. When Ban Chao left for home, Shule was worried and scared all over the country. A captain named Li Jian said, "If Special Envoy China leaves us, we will definitely be destroyed by Qiuci again. I really can't bear to see Ambassador Han leave. " Then he drew his sword and committed suicide. Ban Chao came to Khotan on his way home, and everyone below Wang cried and said, "We depend on Ambassador China, just as children depend on their parents. You must never go back. " But also hold on to Ban Chao's feet, so that the horse can't move forward. Seeing that Khotan people insisted on not letting him return to Han in the east, Ban Chao wanted to realize his original ambition, so he changed his mind and returned to Shule. After Ban Chao left, Shule and Shule surrendered to Qiuci, and joined forces with Weitou to rebel against Han. Ban Chao killed defectors, broke the kingdom of Weitou, killed more than 600 people, and Shule settled down again.

Three years after the founding of Emperor Zhang, Ban Chao led more than 10,000 people in Shule, Kangju, Khotan and Jimmy, captured Shicheng and killed more than 700 people. Ban Chao wanted to pacify the countries in the western regions, so he went to the imperial court and asked for troops to say, "My soldiers and crabs will once see that the first emperor wants to get through the western regions, and they will attack the Xiongnu in the north and send envoys to the western regions, and Shanshan and Khotan will immediately join the Han Dynasty. Now Jimmy, shache, Shule, Yueshi, Wusun, Kangju and other countries are willing to submit to the Han Dynasty, and * * * will cooperate with Qi Xin to destroy Qiuci and open up the road to the Han Dynasty. If Qiuci is captured, there are only a handful of countries in the western regions that have not surrendered. I thought to myself, although I am only a small official in the army, I really want to serve the motherland in the distance like Ji Gu and die in battle like Zhang Qian. In the past, Jiang Wei was only a doctor in a small country, and he could still make peace with Zhu Rong. In addition, I am proud of the prestige of this great man today. Can't I cut as hard as I can with a lead knife? People who said the situation in the western regions before the Han Dynasty said that only by uniting 36 countries could the Xiongnu's right arm be broken. At present, countries in the western regions, even remote and small countries, are reluctant to join the Han Dynasty. All countries, big and small, are very happy, and there is an endless stream of voluntary tributes. Only Yanqi and Qiuci refused to accept us. My liegeman and thirty-six people were previously ordered to go to the western regions and experienced hardships. I have lived alone in Shule for five years, and I am familiar with the situation in the western regions. People who have asked about the size of the city walls think that Han Yi is as reliable as Tian Yi. From this perspective, the road of onion collar can be opened; Onion collar, then you can attack Qiuci. Now, Bai Ba, the servant of Qiuci, should be made King of Qiuci, and hundreds of cavalry should be sent to escort him back to join forces with other countries. It won't be long before we can capture the present King Qiuci alive. It is the best policy to attack foreigners with foreigners. I saw that shache and Shule had fertile fields, lush grass and numerous livestock, which were different from Dunhuang and Shanshan. Garrison there can be self-sufficient in food without consuming the country's financial and material resources. In addition, the kings of Gu Mo and Wensu were appointed by Qiuci. If they were not from these two countries, they would further oppose and reject each other. This situation is bound to lead to rebellion and surrender. If these two countries surrender to us, Qiuci can naturally be breached. I hope the court will issue a letter to the ministers to see if they can refer to it. If I succeed, what do I hate when I die? I am a humble servant, thank God for his protection, and secretly hope that I will not die early. I can see with my own eyes the day when the western regions are pacified. Your Majesty raises a glass to wish you a long life, report your merits to the ancestral temple and announce great good news to the world. "

After acceded to the throne, Zhang Han thought it could be successful, so he negotiated to send troops to support Ban Chao. Ping Gan has always been like-minded with Ban Chao. He wrote to the emperor and volunteered to help Ban Chao. Five years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Emperor Zhang named Xu Gan as a fake Sima, and asked him to lead 1,000 criminals with reduced sentences and soldiers who volunteered to fight in Ban Chao. At first, shache thought that Han soldiers would not come, so it surrendered to Qiuci, and Shule Taishi Chen Fan rebelled. At this moment, Xu Gan arrived with his army. Ban Chao first attacked Chen Fan with him, and won a great victory, killing more than 1000 people and taking many prisoners alive. After Ban Chao captured Chen Fan, he wanted to attack Qiuci, but considering Wusun's strength, he should use it, so he wrote to the court: "Wusun is a big country in the western regions with an army of 100,000. Therefore, when Emperor Wu married Princess Xijun, he finally got help from the soldiers of Emperor Xuanchao Wusun. Now it is necessary for the imperial court to send messengers to ask for condolences and let Wusunguo attack Qiuci with us. " Zhang adopted this suggestion. Eight years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Ban Chao was promoted to general ambassador and commander, and Xu Gan was promoted to Army Sima. In addition, Wei Hou also sent Li Yi to escort Wu Sun's emissary back to China, bringing many gifts to King Wu Sun and his men.

Li Yigang arrived in Khotan, and Qiuci was attacking Shule. He was too scared to move on, so he wrote that it was difficult to succeed in the cause of opening the western regions, and he also tried his best to denigrate Ban Chao, saying that he loved his wife and children, enjoyed himself in the western regions and had no intention of serving the country. When Ban Chao learned of this, he sighed and said, "I was not a nobleman, but now I have a series of slanders, and I am afraid I will inevitably be suspected by the court." So, I abandoned my beloved wife. Knowing that Ban Chao has always been loyal, Emperor Zhang severely criticized Li Yi: "Even if Ban Chao really has a good wife and son, why can more than a thousand homesick subordinates unite with him?" And life Yi Li for Ban Chao's men, listen to Ban Chao command to move. There is another document informing Ban Chao: If Li Yi can work in the Western Regions, he will be kept; If not, he will be sent back to China. Ban Chao sent Yi Li to lead Wu Sunguo's servants back to Beijing. When Xu Gan met Ban Chao, he said, "When Li Yi was in Khotan, he spoke ill of you personally, trying to ruin the great cause of communicating with the western regions. Now, why not leave him here according to the emperor's orders and send someone to escort Wu Sunguo's servants back to Luoyang? " Ban Chao replied, "How can you say such shallow things? It is because Yi Li slandered me Ban Chao that I let him go back today. As long as I have a clear conscience, why am I afraid to speak ill of others? If you leave him to vent his anger, it is not a loyal minister. "

In the second year, the court sent fake Sima Hegong and other four people to lead 800 soldiers to assist Ban Chao, and Ban Chao launched Shule and Khotan soldiers to attack the king of shache. King shache secretly sent messengers to collude with Shule Zhong Wang, and lured him with a large sum of money. Shule Zhong Wang decided to rebel and colluded with the king of shache to flee to the west, sticking to Urumqi. Ban Chao then established another Shule kingdom government, Cheng Chengda, as Shule King, and mobilized all those who didn't want to resist Zhong Wang. The two sides were deadlocked for half a year, because King Kangju sent troops to rescue, and it was difficult for Ban Chao to capture Wu, the city. At this time, Wang Yueshi and Kangju Wang got married soon, and their relationship was very close. Ban Chao sent a large number of gold, silver and silks to Wang Yueshi, asking him to stop Wang Kangju. King Kangju withdrew his troops, captured Zhong Wang alive and sent him back to Shule. Uzbekistan had to surrender to Ban Chao. Three years later, Zhong went to lobby King Kangju, borrowed soldiers from him and returned to China, which caused damage, and secretly colluded with Qiuci to send someone to surrender to Ban Chao. Ban Chao knew their plot in his heart, but on the surface he pretended to accept surrender. Hearing this, Zhong immediately took Qing Qi to see Ban Chao. Ban Chao secretly ambushed the army to wait, camp and play music to receive. After a round of drinking, he shouted to his men to tie up the clock and behead it, then defeated Zhong's followers and wiped out more than 700 people. Xiyu South Road is unimpeded.

In the second year, Ban Chao recruited 25,000 troops from Khotan and other countries to attack shache again, but King Qiuci sent General Zuo to unite with 50,000 troops from Wensu, Weifang and other places to save King shache. Ban Chao called the General School to discuss with King Yu Kun: "At present, we are outnumbered. The only way is to separate and disperse on the surface. Yu Kun's army is from here to the east and our army is from here to the west. We can wait until the darkness and drums sound. " And secretly relax the detention of prisoners. King Qiuci was very happy to learn about the movement of the Han army. He personally led ten thousand cavalry to the west to intercept Ban Chao, and asked King Wensu to lead eight thousand cavalry to the east to attack the Yu army. When Ban Chao learned that the two enemy troops had split up, he secretly gathered all the troops and flew around shache barracks at dawn. Shache's army was in a panic and fled in all directions. Ban Chao pursued more than 5,000 enemy troops and seized a lot of livestock and property, so King shache had to surrender. Countries such as Qiuci had to retreat separately. Ban Chao has since become the megalomaniac of the western regions. [3]