Gu Santai

Overview

Gu Santai was a member of the Yehe Nara clan of the Bordered Blue Banner in the early Qing Dynasty. He was of the same clan as Jin Taishi and submitted to the Qing at the beginning of the dynasty. Volume 22 of the official Qing clan genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that his clansmen were organized into zuoling (military officers), and he was in charge of them, later becoming a Dutong (military commander). His son, Gertu, also served as a zuoling. Ming Atu, a zuoling, participated in the Qing army's entry into the Central Plains, remaining in the rear guard as a deputy Dutong. He was awarded the rank of Qiduwei for his meritorious service, and further promoted to Yunqiwei after five years of service as a councilor. zuoling managed the basic units of the Eight Banners, while Dutong was a higher-ranking military and political official in charge of banner affairs. The deputy Dutong assisted in related military and political matters; the term "appointed" indicates a temporary position and could not be omitted, so it was written as "already officially appointed as deputy Dutong." The original genealogy records meritorious service during the entry into the Central Plains, administrative evaluation, and imperial edicts, indicating that the origins of hereditary titles may involve different reasons. Gu Santai's great-grandson, Zengshu, served as Vice Minister of Works in Shengjing; Hartai served as a reader in the Hanlin Academy; and Yongshu served as a principal officer, among others. The Vice Minister was a high-ranking official in the ministries and departments; the Reader of the Hanlin Academy belonged to the lecturer and scholar system; and the Chief Clerk was a department-level administrative official. These official positions belonged to descendants; Gu Santai himself's confirmed positions were zuoling and Du Tong.