Nan Dai

Overview

Nan Dai is a member of the Zhuersu clan in Volume 56 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. He belonged to the Plain Red Banner and his family had lived in Anchulaku for generations before submitting to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. He himself was initially a non-commissioned official who participated in the campaigns in Huguang. During the attack on Baoqing Prefecture, he seized control of the city and was awarded the title of Yunqiwei (LongWei). After two imperial edicts, he was promoted to Qiduwei (LongDuWei) and concurrently held the title of Yunqiwei.

His hereditary title was inherited by his grandson Zhangguli, who also served as Zuoling (ZuoLing). Later, his son Zhalafen inherited the title, but the additional title granted by imperial edicts was removed, and the original record ultimately states Yunqiwei. Nan Dai's son, Nele, served as an eighth-rank official, and his grandson, Zhang'ai, served as a scribe. These positions were held by individuals and cannot be included in Nan Dai's biography.

"Non-commissioned" refers to the status of people and those serving within the Eight Banners, and cannot be interpreted as modern-day vagrants. Yunqiwei and Qiduwei were hereditary titles based on merit, while Zuoling was a basic-level organizational and management official in charge of population, land, and military registers; the eighth-rank official was only given a grade, not a specific title. The Manchu word "bithesi" is related to "bithe" meaning "book" or "document," and refers to handling written matters. The Zhursu were a Manchu clan, and the ancestral home of the Anchulaku differed from the battlefield of Baoqing; specific dates of the battle, village locations, and connections between generations of descendants require further verification.