Heshen

Overview

Hechen was a member of the Irgen Gioro clan of the Plain Yellow Banner in the early Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Warka for generations, and he and his clan submitted to the Qing at the beginning of the dynasty. Volume 14 of the official clan genealogy of the Eight Banners Manchus, compiled during the Qianlong reign, records that he was ordered to pacify the Luoduoluo tribes, but was later detained and killed in Yehe. After the pacification of Yehe in the fourth year of the Tianming reign, Nurhaci, in recognition of his contributions, entrusted the Yehe minister Shajintaiji to his son Kefu, and appointed Kefu to manage the Zuo Ling (military command). This is the original account of his death and the family's bestowal of favor, but details still require corroboration from earlier historical materials.

In the eighth year of the Tiancong reign, Kefu was awarded the title of Cavalry Captain for his competent performance. He served as a Director of the Ministry of Personnel, and also held positions in Jinzhou and as the Chief Supervisor of the Imperial Mausoleums. The titles of Director of the Ministry of Personnel were early ministerial titles, Cavalry Captain was a hereditary title for meritorious officials, and the Chief Supervisor of the Imperial Mausoleums managed the guarding of the mausoleums; these could not be combined into one official position, nor could they be transferred to Hechen's personal resume. Following Kefu, Kaiyinbu has records of promotions to positions such as Censor, Vice Minister of Rites, and Minister of Revenue; their generational order needs to be verified separately.

At the end of the genealogy, Kalgishan is recorded as the current Governor of Shandong. The Governor is a provincial-level administrative official; "current" refers to the time of the genealogy's compilation. Hereditary titles and actual local official positions are established separately. The collateral branch, Dade, received a separate Yunqiwei title, not sharing the same rank as the main branch. The location, date of death, complex paternal lineage, and intra-clan succession of Warka still require supplementary verification through the original inscription, local gazetteers, and archives.