There was a person named Ban Chao in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).
Originally as a scholar, Ban Chao wanted to become a knowledgeable person. Born into a poor family in Xianyang City of Shaanxi Province, he later moved to Luoyang City of Henan Province to make a living.
Having no work to do, Ban Chao went to a government organ and copied instruments to earn some money. He used his salary to feed on himself and his old mother, and thus lived a hard life.
One day, he felt the work of copying instruments was really very boring, and no longer wanted to lead such an average life. He said, “A great man should learn from Fu Jiezi and imitate Zhang Qian, and make the merits in the remote place to win the title of marquis.
How can I live such a routine life?”
Throwing away his writing brush, he joined the army. Later, he finally became a general, and was ordered to defend the Western Regions for 31 years, and put down the rebellion launched by Hun nobles a few times, and became a renowned general in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
This story comes from LaterChronicles of the Han Dynasty: Biography of Ban Chao. This proverb is later used to describe the fact that scholars give up academic learning to join the army.
