Qichu of the Irgen Gioro Clan

Identification

Qichu, whose recorded Chinese name uses an uncommon written character, is listed in volume 14 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Eight Banner Manchu Clans*. He belonged to the Irgen Gioro clan of the Bordered Yellow Banner, a family long associated with Hada that joined the early Manchu polity. The source gives no official appointment for Qichu himself.

The family record

His grandsons Wahan and Sige formerly served as a *bitieshi* and *xiaoqixiao*, respectively. Wahan's post concerned official writing and documentation, whereas Sige's involved the management of Banner soldiers. Among the great-grandsons, Martai was recorded as a serving *hujun canling*, a Guard officer with supervisory responsibilities, and Liushi as a serving *bujunxiao*, associated with the infantry establishment. The Chinese transcriptions Sige and Liushi function as personal names in this passage; Liushi, written with the characters for “sixty,” is not a count of personnel.

Although three of these appointments were military, the remaining clerical position should not be recast as combat service. There is likewise no basis for treating all four men as officers in the same Banner subunit.

Chronology and uncertainties

The genealogy distinguishes former from serving officials as of the time of its compilation. It does not provide dates, duty stations or direct fathers for each grandson and great-grandson. Qichu's own career, the historical extent of the family's Hada residence and the precise original spelling of his name therefore remain unresolved. Shared surnames and ranks do not justify constructing an undocumented line of succession.