Aiyincha

Overview

Aiyincha was an early member of the Wanyan clan. Volume 28 of the official Qing dynasty compilation, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, states that his family originally resided in the Wanyan region, submitted to the Qing dynasty at its beginning, and belonged to the same clan as Ye Chen of the Bordered Red Banner. His biography lists him as belonging to the Plain Yellow Banner, but the ending notes that he "changed his affiliation from the Bordered Blue Banner." Banner color indicates organizational affiliation within the Eight Banners; this note suggests that the clan's banner affiliation underwent adjustments, and his Plain Yellow Banner status cannot be directly attributed to all early stages of the family.

His second son, Aiyinbu, served as a director in the Ministry of Revenue. After five years of satisfactory performance, he was awarded the title of Yunqiwei (a military rank), and later, by imperial decree, was further promoted to Third-class Qingche duwei. The Ministry of Revenue was a central institution managing population, land tax, and national finances; the title of director was a term used in the early Qing dynasty's ministerial system. Yunqiwei and Qingche duwei were hereditary titles, and performance-based rewards and actual civil service positions need to be understood separately.

The original genealogy records that the successor, Chabina, served as Minister of War and later, as Deputy General, led an expedition against the Dzungar Khanate, where he died in battle at Hotong Hurhanaur. The Ministry of War was responsible for military and political affairs, and the Deputy General's appointment was based on military service; the details of his death in battle belong to his descendants. Aiyincha himself could not have been written as a Minister or a general who died in battle based on this information. The scope of the change of affiliation and the multi-generational succession need to be verified with the original engraving and genealogy.