Esheng'e

Overview

Esheng'e was a member of the Hesheli clan of the Manchu Plain Red Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. He was the son of Ayinbulu and the grandson of Muhulu, a military governor. His family had lived in Heduomuhalian for generations and submitted to the Qing Dynasty at its beginning. Volume 9 of the official clan genealogy compiled during the Qianlong reign, *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that his great-grandson, Haidu, served as a cavalry officer in the campaigns in Jiangxi and Huguang, and died in battle at Jianchang Prefecture. He was posthumously awarded the title of Yunqiwei, which was inherited by his son, Zhaoming.

A cavalry officer was a low-ranking officer, while Yunqiwei was a hereditary title earned through military merit; the two were different in nature. Zhaoming had no heir, so the title was inherited by his uncle's grandson, Sangge, a cross-branch inheritance, which could not be changed to a direct succession by his biological son. Another great-grandson, Suo'er, died in battle while serving as a military officer in the campaigns in Yunnan and Jiangxi, and was also posthumously awarded the title of Yunqiwei. This title was inherited by his nephew, Fakejin, and other descendants of his family, forming another chain of merit-based titles.

Niyaha served as a chief clerk, Baidu as a scribe, and his great-grandson Sui Yatu as a secretary, Saidu as an assistant secretary, and Farsa as a censor. These positions, encompassing clerkship, departmental administration, and supervision, were distinct. No official position is recorded in this entry, and the military achievements of his descendants should not be attributed to Esheng'e personally. The exact location of Hedomuhalian in modern times and the two intermediate lineages still require verification; the original records largely indicate hereditary succession, and a single highest rank cannot encompass the entire family.