Neku

Overview

Neku was a member of the Sakda clan of the Plain Yellow Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. Volume 35 of the officially compiled *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* records that his great-grandson Sartu served as a Qiduwei, and his great-great-grandsons Wuge, Laige, and Zengguan served as lieutenants. The concluding statement indicates that they lived in the Sakda region and submitted to the Qing during the Tiancong era. Tiancong was the reign title of the Later Jin dynasty under Huang Taiji, and cannot be interpreted as a change to their submission at the beginning of the Qing dynasty by neighboring groups.

The Qiduwei led the military affairs of his cavalry, the lieutenant was responsible for city gate defense, the lieutenant managed the household registration and military records of the lower-level bannermen, and the lieutenant was an administrative position. Family members could hold positions in the military, banner affairs, and civil service respectively; these four titles should not be combined to represent Neku's official career, nor should his status be inferred from his highest official rank.

Wuge is the name of a great-great-grandson, not the number of five lieutenants. The distinction between great-grandson and great-great-grandson is important; the original position is indicated by the compilation date, and similar military positions do not automatically constitute hereditary succession. The location of Sakda, the location of the Langzhong government office, the city gate, and the intergenerational connections are pending verification. The original group of the vassalage year is retained.