Ban Yong

Son of Ban Chao who, continuing his father's work, reopened the Western Regions.

Life

Raised in the Western Regions

Ban Yong was Ban Chao's youngest son. As a boy he grew up with his father in the Western Regions and knew their conditions well. After Ban Chao's death, Eastern Han rule in the Western Regions gradually fell apart, and the court at one point favored abandoning them.

Champion of Western Regions policy

In court debate he championed active engagement in the Western Regions. In 123 CE he became Chief Clerk of the Western Regions, garrisoned at Liuzhong (around present-day Shanshan County, Turpan), won over the various states, defeated the Northern Xiongnu and Rear Jushi, and reopened the Western Regions once more.

Military farming colonies (tuntian) at Liuzhong

In 127 CE, because of a feud with Zhang Lang, Grand Administrator of Dunhuang, he was falsely accused and imprisoned, later dismissed from office, and died at home. His records of the Western Regions were an important source for the "Account of the Western Regions" in the Book of the Later Han.

Legacy

Ban Yong and his father managed the Western Regions over two generations and are spoken of together by later generations.

Did you know? In the Book of the Later Han, Fan Ye states that the material in the Account of the Western Regions "was all recorded by Ban Yong at the end of Emperor An's reign."

Key dates

• 123Became Chief Clerk of the Western Regions
• 124Garrisoned at Liuzhong
• 126Defeated the Northern Xiongnu
• 127Falsely accused, imprisoned and dismissed