Gang Qin

Overview

Gangqin was a bondservant of the Irgen Gioro clan in the early Qing Dynasty, whose family had lived in Changbai Mountain for generations before submitting to the Qing. The official genealogy of the Eight Banners Manchu clans, Volume 15, compiled during the Qianlong reign, places him in the list of bondservant of the Bordered Blue Banner. It records that his grandson, Neguji, served as a sixth-rank official (dianyi (ceremonial official)), and Engeli as a former military officer (hujunxiao). His great-grandsons, Ahazhu and Shande, also served as military officers. Liu'ai is listed as the current military officer, and Sele as the current assistant commander. Since his own official positions are not recorded, the positions of his descendants cannot be attributed to his ancestors.

The titles "Dianyi" relate to the etiquette of the prefecture, and "sixth-rank" indicates official rank. "Military officer" involved in military management and guard duties, while "assistant commander" is found in the military management system of banner garrisons. These three categories of positions should be distinguished. Bondservants were a specific subordinate organization within the Eight Banners; the original text does not specify a particular prince or the Imperial Household Department, so it cannot be generalized to assign a specific prefecture.

The article concludes by explicitly stating that Sele is now under the jurisdiction of the Plain Blue Banner. This is a specific explanation of the banner change for a particular descendant, and it cannot be reversed to change Gangqin and his entire family's original banner affiliation to the Plain Blue Banner. The fourth-generation descendants, Zhalafen and Moqin, were scribes, belonging to the clerical official class. The location of the former residence in Changbai Mountain, the time of Sele's banner change, the original characters of Liu'ai's name, and the paternal lineage spanning generations still require verification through the original inscriptions, local chronicles, and archives.