Cheng Gu'erde

Overview

Cheng Gu'erde was a member of the Hesheli clan of the Plain Yellow Banner of the Manchus during the early Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Muliha Village, Heilongjiang Province for generations, and he submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. Volume 10 of the official clan genealogy, *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, compiled during the Qianlong reign, records that his son, Qilang'a, participated in the Shandong campaign while not holding a military post. He was the second to scale the city wall of Laiwu, earning the title of Yunqiwei (LongWei), and was posthumously promoted to Third-Class Qingche duwei. He had no heir, so his brother, Yindalan, inherited the title, which was then passed to Yindalan's son, Dingshou.

"Xiansan" indicates a bannerman who did not hold the corresponding official position. Yunqiwei and Qingche duwei were hereditary titles, and the second-ranking bannerman should be retained as originally recorded. Dingshou served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief in the campaign against the Dzungars, was appointed General, and received the title of Qiduwei for his meritorious service in the Altai region. He later died in battle at Hetong as the vanguard commander and was posthumously awarded titles. In reality, his military rank and noble title existed separately.

When Ding Shou's son, He Yi, inherited the title, the imperial edict was abolished and the rank increased, but he retained the title of Second-Class Qingche duwei and was appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief. The title was then passed to Zhalafunga. This rank includes both the imperial edicts of the predecessors and the new merits of the successor; it should not be entirely attributed to the achievements of Qilanga or the ancestor Chengguerde. Muliha Village is an old place name in the original text; the specific modern village has not yet been located. The author's official position, the years of each appointment, and the calculation procedure for the old titles still need to be verified in the original printed edition.