Langdali

Overview

Langdali is a member of the Tatara clan of the Bordered White Banner, recorded in Volume 11 of the official genealogy of the Eight Banners Manchu Clans compiled during the Qianlong reign. His family had lived in the Zakumu area for generations and submitted to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. The original entry did not specify his official title; the listed resume pertains to his descendants: his great-grandson, Tuoerbi, served as a Langzhong (a high-ranking official); his great-great-grandson, Sedeli, served as a Xiaoqixiao (a Qiduwei); his fourth-generation descendant, Sanbao, served as a Xieling (an assistant commander); Gangse served as a Chengmenwei (a city gate officer); and his fifth-generation descendant, Tangtaiji, is currently a Hujunxiao (a military officer in charge of guarding the city gates).

These titles encompass both civil and military ranks within the banner system. Langzhong were officials handling departmental affairs; their specific roles could not be determined if the department was not listed. Xiaoqixiao were involved in banner troop affairs; Xieling were found in the Eight Banners garrison and other military management systems; Chengmenwei were related to city gate guards; and Hujunxiao belonged to the Hujun (military guard) organization. The titles from different systems should not be arranged in a single, sequential hierarchy representing the family's advancement.

"Former position" indicates past service, while "current position" reflects the status at the time of compilation; neither provides a precise start or end date for the term. The generations such as grandson, great-grandson, great-great-grandson, and fourth or fifth-generation descendant are merely relative sequences given in the genealogy; this entry does not connect the father's name in each generation, so Sanbao, Gangse, and Tang Taiqiang cannot be linked as a continuous father-son relationship. Lang Dali's personal experiences can currently only be explained in terms of clan, banner affiliation, and background of submission; the modern location of Zakumu still needs to be verified.