Nikan Hongke

Overview

Nikan Hongke was a member of the Tongjia clan, belonging to the Plain Red Banner. His family had lived in the Changbai Mountains for generations and submitted to the Qing dynasty at its beginning. Volume 20 of the official *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Eight Banners Manchu Clans* records that he was in charge of a zuoling (military command). His eldest son, Maohai, served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Hangzhou; his second son, Bordai, served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Jingzhou; his third son, Gabula, served as Military Commander and zuoling; and his fourth son, Yixida, served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice in Shengjing.

The zuoling was responsible for local household registration and military records; the Deputy Commander-in-Chief was involved in garrison duties and banner-level military and political affairs; the Military Commander-in-Chief commanded the military guards; and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice in Shengjing was a judicial and administrative body stationed in the capital. The four sons had different responsibilities. Hangzhou, Jingzhou, and Shengjing were their respective posts, and it cannot be concluded that Nikan Hongke simultaneously moved to all three locations. The original genealogy also records that his nephew, Wunahalai, fought many battles, died in the attack on Jiangyin, and was posthumously awarded the title of Qingche duwei, which was inherited by his descendants. This military achievement belonged to a collateral branch and cannot be attributed to his sons. "Nikan" is part of the original name. The clan and banner affiliation given in this article must be retained independently, and ethnic identity should not be simply determined based on two characters. This genealogy connects multiple branches of the same clan, but does not list all paternal distances.