Dong Neke

Overview

Dong Neke was a member of the Namudulu clan of the Plain White Banner, whose family had lived in the Namudulu area for generations before submitting to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. The appendix to Volume 21 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he served as a vanguard guard, and his grandson, Boheli, served as a military officer at the time of the book's compilation. Appendices are brief records of individuals whose deeds are not elaborated upon in the original genealogy, but they still provide clues about their banner affiliation, ancestral home, and official positions. However, brevity does not mean the person had no other experiences. The vanguard system in the Eight Banners military organization was responsible for leading the march, guarding, and combat. The vanguard guards mentioned in the text should retain their full titles; the word "vanguard" should not be omitted to treat them as ordinary palace guards. Military officers were at the lowest rank of officers in the military battalion, responsible for the training and guard duties of their assigned troops, and may also have accompanied the army on campaigns. Whether Boheli participated in specific battles is not mentioned in this entry. The Plain White Banner was his banner affiliation, and his clan name was Namudulu, representing military and political affiliation and family affiliation, respectively. The official positions of Dong Neke himself and his grandson must be described separately, which are the two different official careers that can be confirmed in this brief biography.