Yartai of the Irgen Gioro Clan

Clan and Banner registration

Yartai was an Irgen Gioro clansman historically associated with Dong'e and admitted to the Manchu state during the Tiancong reign of Hong Taiji. Volume 15 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Eight Banner Manchu Clans* identifies him under the Bordered White Banner while noting a transfer from the Bordered Yellow Banner. Both registrations form part of his documented history.

Office and family appointments

Yartai formerly held the title *sanzhi dachen*, a form of senior court or guard-related appointment in the Qing institutional system. The characters for *sanzhi* should not be interpreted as evidence that he was an unemployed civilian. Nor can one safely project the rank structure of much later periods back onto his early career without specific evidence.

His eldest son Yamutai formerly served as a third-class *huwei*, typically a guard in a princely establishment. His second son Samutai formerly served as a *zuoling*, commander of a Banner company; his grandson Sahai served as a *xieling*, an assistant military commander; and great-grandson Haibao was recorded as a serving *fangyu*, or Defence Officer. These posts had different functions. The repetition of military appointments over several generations does not prove that one office passed automatically from father to son.

Chronology and limitations

Tiancong locates the family's submission in the Later Jin period, while “currently serving” refers to the time of the eighteenth-century compilation. The genealogy does not identify the princely households, garrisons or all intervening fathers. The exact location of Dong'e, Yartai's service period, the Banner-transfer date and later postings require additional records.