Shuoji

Overview

Shuoji was a member of the Hesheli clan of the Bordered Red Banner of the Manchus during the early Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Huifa for generations, and the exact time of his submission is unknown. The official genealogy of the Manchu clans of the Eight Banners, Volume 10, compiled during the Qianlong reign, records that his great-grandson Mutash served as a military officer; his great-great-grandson Mengtu also served as a military officer; his fourth-generation descendants Mangnai served as a third-class guard; Suokeseli served as a Zuo Ling (military officer); Zhangguli served as a vanguard officer; Kangguli served as a military officer; and Jinhai served as a military officer during the compilation of the genealogy.

Military officers and vanguard officers managed different military affairs, while Zuo Ling was responsible for the organization and management of grassroots soldiers. Third-class guards belonged to the guard rank of princes and nobles, different from the third-class imperial guards. The fact that a branch of the family had both guards and military officers serving simultaneously does not necessarily mean that everyone served in the same government office or the same unit.

His fifth-generation descendant, Hashitai, served as a deputy military officer; his sixth-generation descendants, Sangge and Yichanga, served as military officers and cavalry officers, respectively. Official positions for each generation are recorded separately. The word "Deputy" is not deleted from the title of Deputy Military Officer, and the position of Valiant Cavalry is not listed together with that of Military Officer. The original book only lists the appointed officials without explanations of titles or inheritance, thus avoiding the fabrication of a chain of military merits and hereditary positions. Shuoji's own official position, Huifa's specific old settlement, the paternal lineage of each generation, and the dates of appointment are not clear; the main text presents the branch's multiple military service through a clear hierarchy of distant generations, while retaining the missing personal experiences.