Duolai

Overview

Duolai was a member of the Yehe Fucha clan, a bondservant of the Bordered Yellow Banner, during the early Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Yehe for generations and submitted to the Qing during the Tiancong era. The official Qing clan genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, Volume 25, records that his grandson Erbe served as a zuoling (banner-company commander), Haxi as a Langzhong (official), and Sexi as a Hujunxiao (military officer); his great-grandson Hailasun served as the Director-General of the Imperial Household Department and concurrently as a zuoling, Hong'a as an Yuanwailang (official), and Mailaxun as a Yinsheng (student); his great-great-grandson Ma Baozhu served as a Langzhong, and his descendants also include Xiaoqixiao (military officer) and Shengyuan (student). Bondservants (baoyi) were a specific subordinate status within the Eight Banners and cannot be simply equated with ordinary employees. The Imperial Household Department handled royal finances, court services, and related personnel affairs, while zuoling managed the basic organizational structure; holding both positions indicated concurrent responsibilities. Langzhong and Yuanwailang were department-level officials, Hujunxiao and Xiaoqixiao belonged to different military camps, and Yinsheng and Shengyuan were qualifications for education or officialdom, differing in nature. Tiancong was the reign title of Huang Taiji before his conquest of China. The Duolai Record primarily preserves the identities of ancestors and the court, military, and civil service positions held by descendants. It does not specify that every Langzhong (a high-ranking official) was in the Imperial Household Department, nor does it list Duolai's own official position. Therefore, Hailasun's experience as the head of the Imperial Household Department cannot be transferred to Duolai.