Berg

Overview

Berg was a member of the Hesheli clan in the early Qing Dynasty, belonging to the Bordered Blue Banner's bondservant class. His family had lived in Huifa for generations, and he submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty, serving as a Zuo Ling (military officer). The official clan genealogy of the Qianlong era, *The General Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, Volume 10, records that his eldest son, Sulma, was awarded the title of Yunqiwei (a military rank) for his meritorious service in the campaigns against Zhejiang, Fujian, and the Geng clan. This title was passed down to his son, Liuge. His second son, Subai, served as an acting bondservant in the campaigns against Zhejiang and Fujian, also receiving the title of Independent Yunqiwei.

Boatservant class indicates a specific affiliation within a banner, with Zuo Ling managing corresponding lower-level military households. A bondservant was a lower-level officer in the Imperial Guard, and acting title indicates temporary appointment. The Yunqiwei titles of his two sons were earned through their own military achievements and should be traced separately. They cannot be combined into a single title for Berg, nor can it be assumed that an acting title equates to a formal appointment.

Subai served as a Zuo Ling, and his son, Suozhu, inherited the hereditary position, also serving as a Canling (military officer) and Zuo Ling. The fourth son, Pian'er, was appointed as a military officer; his grandson, Weiba, was appointed as a deputy commander and assistant commander; Chang Jinbao was appointed as a second-class guard; and his great-grandson, Yuande, was appointed as a candidate scribe. The guards belonged to the prefectural system, and "candidate" only indicated eligibility for the position. Huifa was the original homeland of a Jurchen tribe and clan in the early Qing dynasty; the village location is not specified in this entry. The specific prefectural office to which the bondservants belonged, the dates of their two ranks of merit, and their subsequent status as candidates are still pending verification; the original status remains unchanged.