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Ban Chao (32–102 CE) was a distinguished statesman, general, and diplomat of the Eastern Han dynasty. His courtesy name was Zhongsheng, and he was a native of Anling, Fufeng Commandery (in present-day northeastern Xianyang, Shaanxi). He is widely recognized as one of the key figures in reopening and securing the Silk Road during the…
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A Scholar’s Son, a Warrior’s Heart After leaving the warlord Wei Xiao, historian Ban Biao joined Dou Rong in Hexi. Later summoned by Emperor Guangwu, he began compiling the Sequel to Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji Houzhuan) – but died before completing it. He left behind two gifted sons: Ban Gu, the elder,…
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— Li Yi I married a merchant bound for Qutang Gorge; Day after day, he breaks the promised rendezvous. Had I known the tide keeps its faith without fail, I’d have wed instead the lad who rides the billows pale.
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Over the past two months, we have explored the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Though a mythological narrative, it is rooted in historical events.
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In traditional Chinese culture, the conflict and fusion between Buddhism and Taoism underwent a prolonged historical process, a phenomenon vividly expressed and embodied in Journey to the West.
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In Journey to the West, the story of “Lord Lao Zi Converting the Hu People into Buddhists” stems from historical debates between Taoism and Buddhism. According to legend, Laozi (Lao-Tzu), revered as an incarnation of Taishang Laojun (the Supreme Elder Lord), rode westward on his blue ox, later giving rise to the claim that…