Beautiful Minds: Ban Zhao

Episode Summary

The Encyclopedia Wamanica podcast episode today focuses on Ban Zhao, the first famous female Chinese historian from almost 2000 years ago. Ban Zhao was born in 45 CE to a prominent family in Xianyang, China. Her father was a historian and her great uncle was a scholar and poet. At age 14, Ban Zhao married but soon became a widow. Instead of remarrying, she dedicated herself to studying subjects like astronomy, math, and poetry. Ban Zhao assisted her brother in finishing their father's historical account of the Western Han Dynasty, which had been commissioned by the emperor. When political turmoil led to her brother's imprisonment and death, Ban Zhao took over the project and completed the remaining volumes herself. This history became one of the most well-known Chinese records and was used as a model by later imperial historians. After this achievement, Ban Zhao became China's most famous female scholar. She tutored the imperial family and served as a lady-in-waiting to the empress. Ban Zhao wrote many poems and an influential essay called Lessons for Women, which advised women on being compliant and harmonious. She also became the imperial librarian. Late in life, Ban Zhao accompanied her son on a 300-mile journey and chronicled their travels. She died around 117 CE. Ban Zhao made significant contributions as a groundbreaking female historian and scholar in ancient China. Her writings provided guidance and inspiration for centuries after her death.

Episode Show Notes

Ban Zhao (c. 45-c. 117) was the first female historian of ancient China.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00: Reboot your credit card with Apple Card. It gives you unlimited daily cash back that can earn 4.15% annual percentage yield when you open a savings account. A high yield, low effort way to grow your money with no fees. Apply for Apple Card now in the Wallet app on iPhone to start earning and growing your daily cash with savings today. Apple Card subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Apple Card owners subject to eligibility. Savings accounts by Goldman Sachs Bank USA. Member FDIC, terms apply. SPEAKER_06: Sick of paying $100 for groceries and getting nothing but eggs, orange juice, and a paper bag? Then download the Drop app. Drop lets you earn points with your everyday shopping and redeem them for gift cards. Want a free dinner with those groceries? Drop it. How about daily lattes? Drop it. So download Drop today and get $5 just for signing up. Use invite code GETDROP777. SPEAKER_02: My name is Diana Hock and I'm an operations manager at Morgan & Morgan. At Morgan & Morgan, we've made it really easy. Anything that we need from you, you're able to do from the comfort of your home. You can just dial pound law and you talk to someone like me. SPEAKER_05: If you or any one of your family has been injured, call Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. We've collected over $15 billion for our clients. It's easy. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you. SPEAKER_01: Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Encyclopedia Wamanica. Today's beautiful mind was the first female Chinese historian almost two millennia ago. She wrote volumes of significant work that remained relevant long after she died. Let's talk about Ban Zhao. Ban Zhao was born around the year 45 CE into a prominent family in what's now Xianyang, China. Her father was a famous historian and her great uncle was a well-known scholar and poet. At age 14, Ban Zhao got married, but her husband passed away soon after. Instead of remarrying, Ban Zhao committed herself to her studies and took up the responsibility of educating her sons. She pursued a variety of creative and academic work, including astronomy, math, poetry, and more. Ban Zhao's father had started an in-depth history of the Western Han Dynasty by order of the emperor. When he died before finishing the work, the emperor appointed Ban Zhao's brother to finish the historical account. Ban Zhao assisted her brother with the work, but soon the project was disrupted once again, this time by political unrest. Ban Zhao's brother was arrested and imprisoned for his suspected association with the rebellion and died in prison. Ban Zhao took up the job of finishing the history's remaining volumes. When it was completed, the account of the Western Han Dynasty became one of the best-known Chinese histories ever written. Future imperial historians used it as a model for their official work. After finishing that monumental project, Ban Zhao became China's most famous woman scholar. Her reputation led her to become a tutor for the imperial family and a lady-in-waiting for the empress herself, who often consulted Ban Zhao for advice. Ban Zhao wrote many more poems, as well as an influential essay called Lessons for Women. The piece was dedicated to the daughters of her extended family, but the royal court shared the book widely. Lessons for Women was a guide for how to be compliant and respectful with the goal of maintaining harmony in the family. Ban Zhao wrote that women should be well-educated to better serve those goals. The treatise became a popular work in the country for centuries. Ban Zhao also became the court librarian, maintaining a massive collection of scholarly work. After her extended service to the court, some of her family received special postings, including her son. In the year 113, he was appointed to be a royal officer over 300 miles away. Ban Zhao accompanied him and chronicled the journey. She died around the year 117 CE. After she died, Ban Zhao's daughter-in-law helped preserve her legacy by collecting her writings into three volumes. Though most of her work has been lost, we still remember Ban Zhao today through That Which Remains. Today is the last day of our Beautiful Minds Month. Tune in tomorrow for the beginning of a brand new theme. We'll be talking about leaders. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Happy New Year and talk to you tomorrow. SPEAKER_04: AT&T and Verizon lure you in with their best phone offers, only to lock you into a three-year phone contract, not add T-Mobile. Now, with T-Mobile's best Go 5G plans, upgrade when you want. Every year or every two, you decide. Visit T-Mobile.com to take charge of your upgrades. SPEAKER_03: Get two-year financing on Go 5G Plus and Next. One-year upgrade on Go 5G Next requires financing a new qualifying device and upgrading in good condition after six plus months with 50% paid off. Upgrade ends financing in any promo credits. See T-Mobile.com. SPEAKER_07: Do you hear it? The clock is ticking. It's time for the new season of 60 Minutes. The CBS News Sunday Night Tradition is back for its 56th season with all new big name interviews, hard-hitting investigations and epic adventures. No place, no one, no story is off limits. And you'll always learn something new. It's time for 60 Minutes. New episode airs Sunday, September 24th on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus. SPEAKER_08: When you're an American Express Platinum card member, don't be surprised if you say things like, Chef, what course are we on? I've lost count. SPEAKER_06: Or, Shoot that, shoot that! And even, Checkout's not until four, so. SPEAKER_08: Because the American Express Platinum card offers access to exclusive reservations at renowned restaurants, elevated experiences at live events, and 4 p.m. late checkout at fine hotels and resorts booked through Amex Travel. See how to elevate your experiences at AmericanExpress.com slash with Amex. Don't live life without it. Terms apply.