Aitai

Overview

Aitai was a member of the Kuyala clan of the Plain White Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. The official Qing Dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, Volume 34, records him as a local resident of Suifen, who served as a garrison commander. His son, Waiku, served as a deputy commander; his great-grandson, Zhekune, served as an infantry officer; and at the time of compilation, Qishiyi served as a lieutenant commander. His great-great-grandsons, Fuming, served as a guard officer; Yongming as a vanguard officer; and Yongfu as a cavalry officer. The concluding remarks state that he submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of its rule.

The garrison commander and deputy commander were military positions within the banner system. The infantry officer served within the infantry system, while the lieutenant commander managed basic household registration and military records. The guard officer, vanguard officer, and cavalry officer belonged to different military units. Officers from different units could not change each other's names, nor could the highest rank of their descendants be combined into Aitai's resume. Qishiyi is a name, not an age or number.

The original genealogy records the positions held by members, great-grandsons, and great-great-grandsons; intergenerational relationships require confirmation through the genealogy itself. Suifen is the ancestral home of the family, but the military unit where the officer served was not necessarily the family's old residence; the current and former officials are understood based on the compilation date, without supplementing the exact year and month. The specific location of Suifen, the location of the outer treasury assistant commander, and the appointments of each branch are to be verified, and Ai Tai's own defense duties have direct basis.