Ban Gu
Ban Chao also belonged to a family of historians. His father was Ban Biao (3–54 CE) who started the "History of the Western Han Dynasty" ("Hanshu"; "The Book of Han") in 36, which was completed by his son Ban Gu (32–92) and his daughter Ban Zhao (Ban Chao's brother and sister). Ban Chao was probably the key source for the cultural and socio-economic data on the Western Regions contained in the "Hanshu".