Wakdan

Overview

Wakdan is a member of the Irgen Gioro clan of the Bordered Red Banner, recorded in Volume 15 of the official genealogy of the Manchu Eight Banners, compiled during the Qianlong reign. He was a native of Changbai Mountain, and the year of his submission to the Qing dynasty is unknown. His official position is not recorded. His grandson, Gunahai, was awarded the title of Yunqiwei for meritorious service in the campaign against Shaanxi, and his son, Ulanbu, inherited the title after his death. His great-grandsons, Mengguerdai and Shuoda, served as Langzhong and Bitieshi respectively. These three positions respectively involved military affairs, official business, and clerical work.

The Hujunxiao (military officer) was involved in the management and guard duties of the army. Yunqiwei was a hereditary title for meritorious officials, and Ulanbu inherited a noble title, not necessarily succeeding his father as Hujunxiao. Langzhong handled administrative affairs within their respective departments, and Bitieshi was responsible for document drafting, copying, and translation. The original entry did not specify the ministry or department, so it is impossible to assign Mengguerdai and Shuoda to a single agency.

Mengguerdai is a personal name; the initial "Mongol" cannot be directly used as a marker of ethnicity. Changbai Mountain is a historical region in Northeast China. The location of the modern main peak can only provide background information and cannot confirm the village where the branch of the tribe resided. The year of surrender is not recorded and no specific year is provided. The personal experiences of Wakdan, the dates of the war in Shaanxi, the paternal lineage of each generation, and the military positions still need to be verified by the original inscriptions, local chronicles, and military merit records.