Shuose Bakshi

Overview

Shuose Bakshi was a member of the Hesheli clan of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Duying'e for generations, and he was the grandson of Tehene and the elder brother of Xifu. Volume 9 of the official clan genealogy compiled during the Qianlong reign, *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he and his brother surrendered to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. Because he was proficient in Manchu, Han, and Mongolian languages, he was awarded the title of Bakshi and served in the Wen Guan (a government office for scholars). Hesheli was originally the name of a river, and the clan derived its surname from the river; this is the origin of the surname given in the original text.

The Wen Guan was an institution in the early Qing Dynasty that handled textual, translation, and historical work. For such personnel, Bakshi was a title signifying scholarship and writing ability, not a modern academic degree. The description of the Manchu version of *The Annals of Yuan* in the Palace Museum also uses this title to explain the multilingual service background of Xifu and Shuose.

His son, Sony, was also fluent in Manchu, Chinese, and Mongolian languages. He served as a first-class imperial bodyguard, a junior official in the Ministry of Personnel, a Grand Minister of the Interior, and the head of the Imperial Household Department. Later, he was appointed regent and was granted a dukedom. Military merits and performance evaluations, official positions, and regent duties were all attributed to Sony. His grandson, Gabula, was also granted a dukedom due to his status as the Empress's father, while Songgotu held positions such as Grand Secretary. The fact that the family held prominent positions for generations does not mean that Shuo Se himself held these positions. The original text regarding Du Ying'e's modern settlement, his term of office, and titles still awaits verification by the original engraving.