Sushan

Overview

Sushan was a member of the Wanyan clan of the Bordered Red Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. Volume 28 of the officially compiled *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* records that his family originally resided in Laha, and that he submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty, with a zuoling (banner-company commander) established under his command. The annotation further states that he was of the same clan as Yechen of the Wanyan clan. Here, Sushan is a personal name, and Laha is the ancestral home of the family; the personal name should not be mistaken for a place name or a change of surname.

After Sushan's death, his eldest son, Zhu Shiqi, succeeded him. Due to his competent performance, he was awarded the rank of Third-class Qingche duwei, and later, by imperial decree, was promoted to First-class Qingche duwei and concurrently held the position of Yunqiwei (a military rank), and subsequently served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief. The zuoling managed the local household registration and military registers, while the Deputy Commander-in-Chief assisted in managing banner affairs. The Qingche duwei and Yunqiwei were hereditary positions, representing different types of duties and rewards.

Subsequent succession occurred through illness-related retirement, childlessness, and dismissal due to various reasons, with different branches of the family taking over. When Hang Yilu inherited the position, the portion added by the imperial edict was removed, but he retained the title of Third-class Qingche duwei. The original genealogy records his position as Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. The Censorate was responsible for supervision and impeachment, and the Left Censor-in-Chief was its superior, distinct from the hereditary title itself. Other descendants served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Ningxia, guards, and scribes. the original printed source of the character the rare written form of Su, the place of origin of Laha, and the succession order of collateral branches are yet to be verified.