Hu Shi

Overview

Hu Shi was a member of the Ma Jia clan of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Suifen for generations and submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. Volume Seven of the official genealogy of the Eight Banners Manchu Clans, compiled during the Qianlong reign, explains that Ma Jia was originally a place name, and the clan used it as their surname. They were scattered throughout Suifen, Ma Jia, and other areas, and cannot be identified solely by the modern Han surname "Ma". Hu Shi's grandson, Xi Bali, served as the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department, and Naige served as a First-Class Imperial Guard and Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department, concurrently holding the position of Zuo Ling.

His great-grandson, Zhang Tun, participated in the wars in Korea and Jinzhou, earning the rank of Cavalry Captain. He was later promoted to Third-Class Light Cavalry Captain due to his performance in the position of Yuanwailang. He was wounded and died during the attack on Qiantunwei. His title was later inherited by members of the Tulezhen and Luotuo branches of the family. Military merit, official performance evaluation, and the actual position of Yuanwailang are recorded separately and should be recorded individually.

When his descendant, Chaoyang, inherited the title, he was stripped of his imperial favor and appointed as a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, demonstrating that inherited titles and central government civil service positions could coexist. Tu Hai, the great-grandson of Hu Shi, has a separate biography, and his military service and enfeoffment cannot be fully included in his ancestor's biography. The original book also points out that this branch is of the same clan as Qi Ba and Nikali, but being of the same clan across banners does not mean being from the same household. The specific modern settlements and some inheritance connections of Suifen still need to be verified. This article is based on clan, banner registration, and verifiable family relationships.