Yalan

Overview

Yalan was a member of the Wanyan clan of the Bordered Red Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. Volume 28 of the officially compiled *General Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* records that she was of the same clan as Yechen, residing in the Wanyan region for generations, and submitted to the Qing Dynasty at its inception. Wanyan is the clan name in this volume, explained in the original text as a surname derived from a place name; this explanation provides the clan background at the time of compilation, but cannot be used to directly establish Yalan's specific lineage to the Jin Dynasty imperial family.

Yalan's son, Zhuoerbu, served as a Yuanwailang (a minor official), and his grandson, Guanbao, served as a Dianyi (a military officer). Another grandson, Huilan, participated in the military campaign against Wang Fuchen as a Hujunxiao (a military officer in charge of guards), and was posthumously awarded the title of Yunqiwei (a military rank). Yuanwailang was a civil official at the department level, Dianyi was related to government ceremonies, Hujunxiao was a military officer in the guard battalion, and Yunqiwei was a hereditary title, corresponding to administration, ceremonies, military affairs, and merit rewards, respectively.

Huilan's son, Suozhu, inherited the hereditary title and served as a third-class guard; after Suozhu's death, his son, Changzai, inherited the title. The term "guards" refers to the attendants of princely residences and cannot be changed to "imperial guards." Yalan's great-grandson, Yatu, served as a defense officer, and Huase served as a scribe, reflecting the descendants' appointments in banner camps and clerical positions. The location of Wanyan, the date of Huilan's death, and the princely residence to which Suozhu belonged are pending verification; the aforementioned expeditions and inheritances all belong to his descendants.