They modelled their work on the Records of the Grand Historian (c. 91 BCE),[2] a cross-dynastic general history, but theirs was the first in this annals-biography form to cover a single dynasty.

The completed work ran to a total of 100 fascicles 卷, and included essays on law, science, geography, and literature.

As with the Records of the Grand Historian, Zhang Qian, a notable Chinese general who travelled to the west, was a key source for the cultural and socio-economic data on the Western Regions contained in the 96th fascicle.

The text includes a description of the Triple Concordance Calendar System 三統曆 developed by Liu Xin in fascicle 21.

[5] Ban Gu's history set the standard for the writings of later Chinese dynasties, and today it is a reference used to study the Han period.

Emperors' biographies in strict annal form, which offer a chronological overview of the most important occurrences, as seen from the imperial court.

It is later recorded that in 57, the southern Wa kingdom of Na sent an emissary named Taifu to pay tribute to Emperor Guangwu and received a golden seal.

[7] According to the Book of Wei, the most powerful kingdom on the archipelago in the third century was called Yamatai and was ruled by the legendary Queen Himiko.