When we look back at the ancient Chinese feudal society today, it is not difficult to find that most of those who can leave their names in the history books are men, and at that time, women were influenced by the feudal concept of male superiority and female inferiority, and they spent their whole lives teaching their husbands and children, serving their in-laws and mothers-in-law, and dealing with some small things in the parents, so there were fewer people who were famous. But this is not to say that in ancient times, all women were obscure, and today I will introduce you to the first female historian in history - Ban Zhao.
After hearing this name, I believe that most people may not be able to search for such a woman in their minds. Because when it comes to people with the surname Ban, the first thing that comes to mind may be Ban Gu and Ban Chao. If you can think of it, then you are not far from the right answer. Because Ban Gu, Ban Chao and Ban Zhao are three brothers and sisters, in fact, as long as you think about it a little, you can see it from the name. Next, the author will work with you to leave the aura of her two brothers and deeply understand the female historian of The First Class.
Speaking of historians, everyone is most familiar with Zuo Qiuming and Sima Qian. However, compared with them, Ban Zhao also did not let his eyebrows be shaved. Ban Zhao was born in a famous family, and his family has been an official in the dynasty since the early Han Dynasty, and when Ban Biao, that is, Ban Zhao's father's generation, the official position has reached its peak.
Ban Zhao was influenced by her father and brother at a very young age, and she developed a strong interest in history, and she herself was also talented and had a strong ability to grasp and comprehend knowledge. For some historically ambiguous events, Ban Zhao can also express his own unique views, often attracting his father and brother to clap their hands. These early years of experience laid a solid foundation for Ban Zhao to become a historian.
Although Ban Zhao was born in a family family, her life was not smooth. She was already married as a teenager, and her married life was also happy. Soon after, her husband died, leaving her and her two children behind. We can imagine how hard life was afterwards for their orphans and widows. But Ban Zhao never gave up learning knowledge. So, how high is Ban Zhao's literary talent? We can see one or two things from the following two things.
When Ban Zhao was very young, his father began to write the Book of Han. Because of his strong interest in history, Ban Zhao also participated. Later, her father died of illness, and her brother Bangu took over the job, but later because of other cases, Bangu also died in prison. Ban Zhao, in addition to being sad and sad, thought of the unfulfilled wishes of his father and brother, so he suppressed his grief and continued to organize and preside over the compilation of the Book of Han.
As a result, Ban Zhao independently completed the two most difficult parts of the book. The Astronomical Chronicle also requires a very deep knowledge of mathematical theory and practice. In order to commemorate his brother, Ban Zhao named this achievement his brother Bangu. As soon as this book came out, it was highly praised by the outside world, and some people compared it with the "History", which shows its wonderful degree.
In addition to presiding over the compilation of the Book of Han, which received a good response, Ban Zhao was also trusted by the imperial court at that time, and also hired her to join the dynasty as an official. Ban Zhao was appreciated by Empress Deng in the court, and whenever there was a job of receiving foreign emissaries, the empress dowager would always let Ban Zhao follow her, and Empress Deng often summoned her to the palace to make gifts for some rare treasures, and the relationship between the two was like a girlfriend. Ban Zhao's son was also able to enter the dynasty as an official because of his favor.
Until Ban Zhao was old, there were many girls in the family, and some girls' behavior and speech were not very dignified. This made her very distressed, afraid that she would enter her husband's house and be abused by her mother-in-law. Therefore, Ban Zhao wrote the book "Female Commandment", hoping to regulate the words and deeds of these girls in the family. Who knew that this book was passed down ten times and passed on a hundred times, and was loved by everyone. The rules in this "Women's Ring" have also become family rules and have become textbooks for teaching girls across the country.
If you look at this book from a modern perspective, most of the content in it emphasizes the concept of male superiority and female inferiority, advocating that women give up their careers to serve their husbands and families, and obey their husbands. This undoubtedly became a shackle that bound the women of the time, so it had a certain backwardness and obsolescence. However, in that society at that time, the inferiority of women over men had become a concept that was deeply rooted in people's hearts and could not be shaken, and it was not easy for most women to make a splash in other literary talents.
Therefore, only by doing your "own job" can you live a better life. The book is a clear statement of what women should do, which shackles women's development creativity, but in that dynasty at that time, women would be praised by society as long as they fulfilled the requirements of this book. From another perspective, this was also an umbrella for women at the time. Of course, the author is not promoting the bad feudal idea of male superiority over female inferiority, but only discussing things on the basis of facts.
With his outstanding talent and rich knowledge, Ban Zhao has written a magnificent chapter of his own in the vast history, and this talented historian has many places worth learning.