Hongniyaka

Overview

Hongniyaka was a member of the Wuzhaku clan of the Bordered Red Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. Volume 34 of the official Qing Dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that his family originally lived in the Gahari region. At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, he, along with his brothers Sasuka and Samutanga, led forty family members to surrender. He was awarded the title of Qiduwei, and for his meritorious service in the campaign against the Ming Dynasty, he was promoted to Third-class Qingche duwei. After being wounded in Jinzhou, he was promoted to Second-Class. He successively served as Minister of Works, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Minister of State Affairs.

Qiduwei and Qingche duwei were hereditary titles awarded for merit. The Minister of Works was in charge of engineering and other political affairs, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief assisted in banner affairs, and the Minister of State Affairs participated in political and military discussions in the early Qing Dynasty. The forty family members are the original recorded number, not forty households; the independent military merits of his younger brothers and his own official appointments are described separately.

His eldest son, Wulachan, and second son, Zhulachan, each received subsequent rewards. Zhulachan was awarded the title of Yunqiwei after six years of performance evaluation as a Qixinlang, indicating that the reward did not entirely come from the battlefield; Qixinlang was an official title in the early Qing Dynasty ministries and departments, and could not be directly converted to a clerk of a certain rank. Later members of the clan held positions such as General of Liangzhou, all of whom were descendants. The origins of the Gahari region, the Qixinlang organization, and several supporting succession chains await verification.