Hu Ban

Historical Record

According to the surviving historical record, the biographical material concerning Hu Ban is wanting. In official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, no record of a person named "Hu Ban" can be found, nor is any event or deed connected with him mentioned. The figure of Hu Ban therefore has no clear record on the historical plane.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Hu Ban is a figure who plays a key role in advancing the plot, and his image is wholly a product of literary creation. He first appears in the twenty-seventh chapter of the novel, then serving as an aide (congshi) to Wang Zhi, the Grand Administrator of Xingyang ^c:3018. During Guan Yu's lone thousand-li ride—Passing Five Passes and Slaying Six Generals—Wang Zhi devised a scheme to burn Guan Yu to death in the post-house at Xingyang. Wang Zhi secretly ordered Hu Ban to take a thousand soldiers and set fire at the third watch, intending to burn Guan Yu and his retinue together. Before carrying out the order, however, Hu Ban, out of curiosity about Guan Yu's renown, went on his own to spy upon the post-house. He saw Guan Yu seated by lamplight, leaning on a low table reading a book, stroking his beard with his left hand, his bearing majestic, and could not help exclaiming aloud, "Truly a man from heaven!" ^c:3018

When Guan Yu asked who he was, Hu Ban gave his name and family, mentioning that he was the son of Hu Hua from outside the walls of Xu. Hearing this, Guan Yu took out from his baggage the letter written by Hu Hua, his father, and handed it to Hu Ban. After reading the letter, Hu Ban realized that Guan Yu was a man of loyalty and righteousness, and that he had nearly mistakenly killed a loyal and good man, and was deeply shocked. He then secretly told Guan Yu of Wang Zhi's plot, and on his own initiative offered to open the city gate ahead of time, helping Guan Yu leave the city that very night. Hearing this, Guan Yu was greatly alarmed, swiftly donned his armor and mounted his horse, asked his two sisters-in-law to take the carriage, and, with Hu Ban's help, smoothly left the city. After Guan Yu had left, Hu Ban still returned to the post-house and set the fire, to cover his tracks ^c:3018. When Guan Yu had gone a few li out of the city, Wang Zhi pursued him and was cut down by a single stroke of Guan Yu's blade. Guan Yu was deeply grateful for Hu Ban's aid.

Hu Ban's second appearance is in the seventy-third chapter of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. By then he had gone over to Guan Yu and come to Jing Province. Mindful of Hu Ban's former kindness in saving him, Guan Yu was very fond of him. Guan Yu then arranged for Hu Ban to go into Shu together with Fei Shi to see the King of Hanzhong, Liu Bei, in order to receive a noble rank ^c:3020. At this point Hu Ban's main plot in the romance comes to a close, and his fate is given a fitting arrangement. The image of Hu Ban in the romance is an embodiment of loyalty, righteousness, and conscience: he did not blindly obey his superior's wicked order, but, relying on his own judgment and sense of duty, made the right choice, thereby saving Guan Yu's life and winning for himself a chance at survival and a future. His conduct stands in sharp contrast to Wang Zhi's malice, further highlighting Guan Yu's benevolence and the power of his moral influence.

Key Relationships

* Wang Zhi (betrayed_by): Hu Ban was an aide to Wang Zhi, the Grand Administrator of Xingyang. Wang Zhi plotted to kill Guan Yu and ordered Hu Ban to carry out the arson. In the end, however, Hu Ban betrayed Wang Zhi's order, turning instead to help Guan Yu escape, and indirectly bringing about Wang Zhi's being cut down by Guan Yu ^c:3018. (novel only)
* Guan Yu (friend_of): During Guan Yu's lone thousand-li ride, Hu Ban, influenced by his father Hu Hua's letter and won over by Guan Yu's majestic bearing, ultimately chose to help Guan Yu escape Wang Zhi's murderous plot. Guan Yu was therefore grateful to Hu Ban. Later, when Hu Ban went over to Guan Yu, Guan Yu, mindful of his former kindness in saving him, was very fond of him and arranged for him to go into Shu to see Liu Bei and receive a rank ^c:3020. (novel only)
* Hu Hua (father_of): Hu Ban was the son of Hu Hua from outside the walls of Xu. After Guan Yu learned Hu Ban's identity at the post-house, he took out Hu Hua's letter for Hu Ban to read, and this letter was the key factor in Hu Ban's change of allegiance and his help to Guan Yu ^c:3018. (novel only)

Signature Scenes

* Spying at the post-house and seeing through the plot: By Wang Zhi's order, Hu Ban prepared to set fire in the Xingyang post-house and burn Guan Yu to death. But before acting, out of curiosity he went to spy upon the post-house, and seeing the majestic posture of Guan Yu reading by lamplight, leaning on a low table, could not help sighing, "Truly a man from heaven!" ^c:3018 Guan Yu then produced his father Hu Hua's letter, which brought Hu Ban to a sudden awakening, made him recognize Wang Zhi's plot, and ultimately decide to help Guan Yu escape. (novel only)
* Helping Guan Yu leave the city: After seeing through Wang Zhi's plot, Hu Ban secretly told Guan Yu the truth and offered on his own to open the city gate ahead of time, helping Guan Yu leave the city that very night. Guan Yu was thus able to swiftly don his armor and mount, and with his two sisters-in-law smoothly departed the city of Xingyang, evading Wang Zhi's murderous plan ^c:3018. This act not only saved Guan Yu's life but also laid the groundwork for Guan Yu's subsequent thousand-li journey to find his sworn brother. (novel only)
* Going over to Guan Yu and receiving a rank: On the eve of Guan Yu's northern campaign against Xiangyang and Fan, Hu Ban came to Jing Province to go over to Guan Yu. Mindful of Hu Ban's former kindness in saving him, Guan Yu held him in high regard and arranged for him to go to Shu together with Fei Shi to see the King of Hanzhong, Liu Bei, hoping he would obtain a noble rank ^c:3020. This marks the satisfactory conclusion of Hu Ban's fate in the romance, and also reflects Guan Yu's character of repaying kindness. (novel only)