Qiangtuli

Overview

Qiangtuli, whose biography appears in Volume 52 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* under the entry for the Merzhele clan, belonged to the Bordered Yellow Banner. His family had lived along the Songhua River for generations and submitted to the Qing dynasty during the Tiancong era. Tiancong was the reign title of Huang Taiji during the Later Jin period. His submission and the subsequent migration and appointment of his descendants should be described separately.

His son, Zhanuka, due to generations of tribute payments, led forty-four households, along with Orbochuo and Walu, to Ningguta. Huang Taiji bestowed upon him the title of Qiduwei and concurrently a Yunqiwei, appointing him as a zuoling (military commander). This hereditary position was first inherited by his son, Ahali, and later by his grandson, Fulinbao, during the compilation of the biography. Qiangtuli's second son, Balchuka, served as a First-Class Imperial Guard and zuoling; other descendants also held positions such as Imperial Guard and Military Commander.

The forty-four households refer to a household registration unit and cannot be directly equated with forty-four soldiers. The zuoling (ZuoLing) ​​managed population, land, and military registers. The title of Qiduwei (QiDuWei) combined with Yunqiwei (YunQiWei) was a hereditary position, while the first-class imperial bodyguards were part of the Emperor's personal guard system. Merzhele (MoErZheLe) was a Manchu clan, with the Songhua River as their ancestral home. Ningguta was a clearly identified place of migration, so it cannot be automatically concluded that Qiangtuli himself had served as the same zuoling. The connection to relatives such as "his grandson" should be re-examined according to the original text.