Nidana

Overview

Nidana was a member of the Saimile clan of the Bordered Yellow Banner. Volume 36 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he lived in the Heilongjiang region and submitted to the Qing during the Tiancong era. Tiancong was the reign title of Huang Taiji's Later Jin dynasty, and cannot be considered part of the Kangxi era after the Qing dynasty entered the Central Plains; the Bordered Yellow Banner was a banner affiliation, not a place of origin or official position.

His fourth-generation descendant, Babuhuo, served as an infantry officer, and his fifth-generation descendant, Balbusun, served as a guard officer. The genealogy further details the descendants of his brothers, Takchina and Dayana: His brother's branch included First-Class Imperial Guards, Vanguard Commanders, Cavalry Commanders, Third-Class Imperial Guards, Assistant Ministers, City Gate Commanders, and Clerks; his brother's branch included Guard Officers and Second-Class Imperial Guards. The branches of the brothers must be organized separately and cannot all be listed as Nidana's direct descendants.

Infantry Officers and City Gate Commanders were different guard management positions; Imperial Guards were responsible for imperial guard duties, while Assistant Ministers and Clerks were administrative officials. The original genealogy lists these titles to record the positions held by different family members, not that one person held all positions simultaneously. The electronic text of the title of the elder brother, Zhi Xixin, appears to be "Blue-Lantern Attendant," which needs to be verified against the original engraving. The text will not be altered beforehand; the ancestral home, complete lineage, and term of office also need to be verified.