Qi Kou

Overview

Qi Kou is a surname of the Wuzhala clan, preserved by the Muku. It is recorded in the same script in Volume 30 of the Qing Dynasty official genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. The original genealogy states that he was a member of the Plain Yellow Banner, residing in Shenyang, but the year of his submission is unknown. His grandson, Zhese Li, served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Muchu served as Defense Commander. His great-grandson, Kaoshanbao, served as a Blue-Lanyard Guard at the time of compilation. The grandson and great-grandson belong to different generations, and their official positions are attributed to their respective individuals.

The Deputy Commander-in-Chief assisted in managing banner affairs; Defense Commander was a military rank within the banner camp; and Blue-Lanyard Guard belonged to the emperor's personal guards, with "Blue-Lanyard" being part of the title for this type of guard. Although all three titles are related to military affairs or protection, they still have distinctions in duties and ranks, and it is inappropriate to combine them into the same category of general, nor can Zhese Li's position as Deputy Commander-in-Chief be transferred to Qi Kou's name.

Shenyang is present-day Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. Nurhaci moved the capital there in 1625, and it continued to develop into the center of power during the reign of Huang Taiji. This can explain the early Qing Dynasty background of the ancestral home area, but it cannot be used to determine whether Qi Kou participated in the relocation of the capital or court affairs. The original name, the residence of the grandchildren, and the time of their submission are yet to be verified, and the original state of being unknown remains.