Ah Zhu

Overview

Azhu was a member of the Zakuta clan of the Bordered White Banner. Volume 36 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he was of the same clan as Gabula, residing in the Saqikuhada region, and submitted to the Qing dynasty at its beginning. Being of the same clan does not directly equate to being brothers; the fact that their banner affiliations differed should be preserved and not altered for the sake of a unified clan introduction.

His great-great-grandson, Tou Deng'e, was ordered to retrieve his family when his wife was abducted by the Ula forces. He abandoned his wife, clothing, and horse, returning on foot and was awarded the title of Qiduwei (hereditary merit rank). This is the event recorded in the genealogy, without elaboration on the character's psychology. His son, Tengteqi, was further awarded this title for military merit. His great-great-grandson, Baichuka, is mentioned separately in the sections on the Warka, Jiefan, and Liaodong wars and changes in hereditary titles; these two cannot be considered the same event.

Qiduwei (hereditary merit rank), Qingche duwei (hereditary merit rank), and Yunqiwei (hereditary merit rank) were hereditary titles. The genealogy also lists other titles such as Valiant Cavalry Commander, Vanguard Commander, and Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi as substantive positions. His seventh-generation descendant, Guan Tai, died in battle as a Vanguard Commander during the campaign against Galdan and was awarded the title of Yunqiwei (hereditary merit rank), an event that occurred in a later period. The governor-general was responsible for military and political affairs in the corresponding region and could not bestow additional titles upon his ancestor, A-Zhu. The succession among different descendants was not due to the individual's continuous promotion. The ancestral home, the date of the Tou Deng E incident, and the succession relationships among the various branches need further verification.