Tongjiao

Overview

Tongjiao was a member of the Saimile clan of the Bordered Yellow Banner during the early Qing Dynasty. Volume 36 of the officially compiled *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* records that he lived in the Saharcha region and submitted to the Qing at the beginning of the dynasty. The Saimile clan is one of the Manchu surnames listed in this volume, and the Bordered Yellow Banner was one of the Eight Banners, indicating family affiliation and organizational affiliation. His name did not have a Han-style surname, which did not constitute grounds for changing clan affiliation.

His grandson, Balduchan, served in the campaign as a non-official. During the capture of Yanzhou, he was the first to scale the city walls and was awarded the title of First-Class Qingche duwei (hereditary merit rank). After entering the pass to fight, he was further promoted to Yunqiwei (hereditary merit rank). The term "non-official" indicates that he did not hold any listed official position at the time, but it did not mean he had left the banner system. Qingche duwei (hereditary merit rank) and Yunqiwei (hereditary merit rank) were hereditary titles, different from substantive positions such as bodyguards.

Balduchan's elder brother, Dono, inherited these titles and was further promoted to First-Class Baron by imperial decree. His son, Serse, inherited the position and served as a third-class imperial bodyguard, but was later dismissed. When Changbao inherited the position, the portion granted by imperial decree was deducted, but he retained the rank of first-class Qingche duwei (hereditary merit rank) and concurrently a Yunqiwei (hereditary merit rank), which was then passed to his younger brother, Heidase. The rank of "male" here refers to a hereditary title, and imperial bodyguards were responsible for guard duties. The aforementioned military achievements belong to his descendants and cannot be attributed to Tongjiao himself. The dates of the imperial decree and dismissal need to be verified against the original inscription and archives.