Yalu

Overview

Ya Lai was a member of the Tongjia clan, Plain White Banner, and the seventh brother of Hu Erhan, a bodyguard of Darhan. Volume 19 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The General Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records his participation in numerous military campaigns before and after the conquest of China, including those at Ula, Dongkui, Dalinghe, Lushunkou, and before the entry into the Central Plains. For his meritorious service, he was awarded the title of Cavalry Captain, then promoted to Yunqiwei (a rank equivalent to a Yunqiwei), and later ennobled as a Baron. He also served as a Zuo Ling (a military officer).

The titles of Cavalry Captain, Yunqiwei, and Baron were hereditary titles of merit, while Zuo Ling was responsible for the actual affairs of the banner, including household registration, land ownership, and military records. The information regarding both conferment and appointment is not contradictory. The original genealogy separates military conferment from imperial edicts of promotion: an imperial edict promoting a rank did not equate to a new military achievement. After Ya Lai's death, his hereditary title was inherited by his son Huase and grandson Antu, among others. Some heirs were dismissed due to various reasons, and their positions were later inherited by other relatives, with some having their imperial edicts of promotion revoked. This inheritance pattern indicates that benefits could be passed down across branches of the family, and not everyone automatically inherited Ya Lai's Zuo Ling position. The great-grandson, San Guanbao, also served as a Blue-feathered bodyguard, a personal bodyguard position for his descendants. The original battle site names and some other names still need to be verified item by item; therefore, modern village locations are not currently inferred based on homophones.