Eqibu

Overview

Eqibu was a member of the Irgen Gioro clan of the Plain Blue Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Hunehe for generations, and he submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. He was of the same clan as Naqibu. Volume Thirteen of the official clan genealogy compiled during the Qianlong reign, *The General Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he served as a third-class imperial bodyguard. His second son, Ese, and third son, Wengjina, also served as third-class guards. Imperial bodyguards belonged to the emperor's guard system, while guards were mostly officials under the jurisdiction of the emperor's household. Even if two officials held the same third-class rank, they could not be interchanged.

His fifth son, Songjina, served as a third-class guard and died in battle in Xiamen, Fujian. He was posthumously awarded the rank of Yunqiwei, which was inherited by his son, Fuerdun. Fuerdun later distinguished himself in the campaign against Galdan in the Zhaomodo campaign and was promoted to Qiduwei. After his death, his son, Fengala, succeeded him. Posthumous honors were bestowed after death, and the promotion was derived from the military achievements of the next generation; it cannot be written that Songjina had already reached the rank of Qiduwei during his lifetime.

Their descendants also included officials such as Assistant Ministers, Censors, Cavalry Commanders, Guards Commanders, Ceremonial Attendants, and Clerks. Assistant Ministers handled official business, Censors participated in oversight, and Ceremonial Attendants were involved in the etiquette of the prefecture; they cannot be lumped together into the same agency. Tuobin, Langtu, and Hailun were separately appointed as Yunqiwei, but their initial appointment and succession processes are not complete, and they are not directly merged with the Songjina branch. Their terms of office, specific kinship ties, and geographical affiliation in Hunehe still need to be verified.