Ongine

Overview

Ongjine was a member of the Xilin Gioro clan, belonging to the Bordered White Banner. His family had lived in Nimacha for generations and submitted to the Qing dynasty at its beginning. Volume 17 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The General Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, explains the history of this branch through the civil and military appointments and military achievements of his descendants. His fourth-generation descendant, Saike, served as a Reader-in-Waiting in the Grand Secretariat; Nikata served as a City Garrison Commander; and Sengku served as a Military Officer. The Reader-in-Waiting in the Grand Secretariat was involved in Grand Secretariat documents and records, not a court military post; the City Garrison Commander and the Military Officer belonged to different military units and cannot be summarized by a single rank. His fifth-generation descendant, Chokto, participated in the Chahar-Burniture War as a Military Officer and was awarded the title of Yunqiwei, which was later inherited by his grandson, Wushiba. Here, the one who bestowed the title was Chokto, and the one who inherited it was Wushiba; both were several generations removed from Ongjine. The Yunqiwei was a hereditary title of merit, and the record does not necessarily mean that every descendant actually served as a Military Officer. Wu Jin, a seventh-generation descendant, served as a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and Vice Minister of Rites, demonstrating that his descendants also entered the central civil service system. The historical scope and corresponding modern location of Nimacha still need verification; therefore, Ongine's own military achievements cannot be inferred from the experiences of these descendants.