Manduhu

Overview

Manduhu, whose name appears in Volume 51 of the *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* under the entry for the Zhalali clan, belonged to the Plain Blue Banner and was of the same clan as Anu. His family had lived in Warka for generations and submitted to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. He once served as a Vanguard Commander. His son, Danduhu, also served as a Vanguard Commander; however, father and son holding the same title did not automatically prove inheritance of the same vacancy.

The Vanguard Commander was a low-ranking officer in the Vanguard organization, linked to the management, training, and guard duties of elite troops. Manduhu's grandsons, Alfa and Mele, served as garrison commanders; Yuebai served as Governor of Gansu; and Yuehai served as Chief Secretary. The Governor handled provincial administration and official evaluations, while the Chief Secretary was a prefectural administrative officer; their powers and organizational structures differed.

Descendants of the family also included Chaozhu, a Cavalry Commander; Shumin, a scribe; and Yongzhu, a candidate scribe. The Manchu word for scribe is *bithesi*, related to *bithe* meaning "book" or "document," and involved in written affairs; "cancelled" indicates waiting for appointment and cannot be written as already appointed. The position of Kushi was a different kind of warehouse post and should not be interchanged with that of Bishi. The Governor of Gansu was a descendant of Yuebai, and his ancestral home in Warkaze was a family territory; neither of these should be mistakenly attributed to Manduhu himself.