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Secondary sourceBookfinished 111 CE

Book of Han

Ban Gu (with Ban Zhao and Ban Biao) · finished 111 CE

Official Han dynasty history by Ban Gu that records Emperor Gaozu's reign and edicts as founder of the dynasty.

Preserves Gaozu's edicts and the official dynastic account of his founding of the Han dynasty.

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Several old Chinese books with open pages and paper labels reading 明刻本 (Ming edition) are displayed in a glass case. Pages show dense vertical columns of printed characters. Stacks of more volumes sit behind them.
Book of Han, Ming dynasty printed edition. Tian Yi Chamber Library collection.

About this source

What it is

The Book of Han is one of China's official dynastic histories, covering the Western Han dynasty from its founding by Emperor Gaozu to the fall of the usurper Wang Mang. It was compiled by the Eastern Han scholar Ban Gu, with help from his sister Ban Zhao and drawing on earlier work by their father Ban Biao, and finished in 111 CE. The copy shown is a later Ming dynasty printed edition held in a library collection.

Why it matters

This history preserves Emperor Gaozu's imperial edicts and the official account of his founding of the Han dynasty, making it a key source for understanding how the dynasty wanted its first emperor to be remembered. It set the model for how later Chinese dynasties wrote their own histories, and remains a major source for studying the Han period, including early contacts with neighboring peoples.

Look closer

  • Why might a history written generations later, by court officials, present Gaozu in a particular way?
  • What kinds of documents, like edicts, does this text preserve that we might not otherwise have?
  • How does an official history differ from a personal account like a diary or letter?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Liu Bang (Gaozu of Han) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Museum display panel titled Classics with Chinese and English text describing Chu bamboo slips held by Shanghai Museum and Han bamboo slips of He Lu from Zhangjiashan. Bundles of bamboo slips with ink characters are mounted beside the text, labeled a, b, c and listed below.Document

Primary source

Zhangjiashan Han bamboo texts

Western Han officials · c. 202–186 BCE

A large brown sign with gold Chinese characters and English text reading 'Archaeological Park of Weiyang Palace in Chang'an City of the Western Han Dynasty' stands on a grass lawn under a blue sky with clouds and trees behind it.Artifact

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Xiao He for Emperor Gaozu · 200 BC

Two views of a corroded green-brown bronze coin with a square central hole. The left side shows raised characters and a small cross-like mark near the hole; the right side is plainer with a square hole and worn surface, on dark fabric.Artifact

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