Weng Tuo

Overview

Weng Tuo was a member of the Namudulu clan of the Bordered Red Banner, whose ancestral home was in Liaoyang. The exact year he submitted to the Qing dynasty is unknown. The official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, Volume 21, records that he served as a zuoling, and his son, Zhuo Erbi, served as a Xiaoqi Xiao. zuoling was both a basic-level administrative position within the Eight Banners and the official in charge of that position, managing the household registration, soldiers, and military and political affairs of the banner members. Xiaoqi Xiao was a basic-level military officer within the Xiaoqi Battalion, assisting in military affairs, training, and the management of the soldiers under his command. Therefore, Weng Tuo and Zhuo Erbi held positions in two different banners and battalions, and his son's official position cannot be included in Weng Tuo's career advancement. Liaoyang is the family's ancestral home recorded in the original genealogy, but the entry does not specify a particular village or the location of Zhuo Erbi's post. The Bordered Red Banner indicates military and political affiliation, and the Namudulu clan indicates clan affiliation; these, along with the geographical information of Liaoyang, serve to identify the individuals. Existing records confirm the positions held by the father and son and their family origins, but do not preserve Weng Tuo's birth date, the year he submitted to the government, or his specific military achievements. Therefore, it cannot be inferred from his position as a zuoling (banner-company commander) that he once commanded all the Liaoyang Banner people.