Fuchala

Overview

Fuchala was a member of the Namudulu clan of the Plain White Banner, whose ancestral home was in Namudulu. He submitted to the Qing dynasty in the early years. The official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, Volume 21, includes his biography, focusing on his great-grandson's generation: Cunzhu served as a deputy military officer; Chenggenzhu participated in the campaign against the Dzungars as an acting military commander, dying in battle at Hetong Hurhana'er. The court posthumously awarded him the title of Yunqiwei, which his son Yichang'a inherited. The military commander was one of the units in the Eight Banners army responsible for guard duty and expeditions. Military officers and military commanders were at different levels; the status of a deputy military officer should also be distinguished from that of a formal military officer. "Acting" indicates a temporary appointment, and this nature of Chenggenzhu's position should be retained in the account. The title of Yunqiwei here is a posthumous hereditary title awarded for military merit in battle, not a title given to another unit under Chenggenzhu's command. Yichang'a inherited this hereditary title. The original genealogy, based on ancestral banner registration and family materials organized by descendants' military achievements, does not specify whether Fuchala himself held an official position or participated in any battles.