Barhasan

Overview

Barhasan was a member of the Bayara clan of the Plain White Banner. Volume 38 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he lived in the Changbai Mountains region and submitted to the Qing dynasty at its beginning. The Plain White Banner was one of the Eight Banners, Bayara was the clan name, and Changbai Mountains was his ancestral home; none of these can directly replace evidence of his official position or specific military achievements.

His son, Gouleshen, served as a zuoling (banner-company commander) in the campaign against Fujian. He was wounded in battle against Zheng Chenggong's forces in Jianning Prefecture and later died from a recurrence of his wounds. He was posthumously awarded the title of Yunqiwei (a military rank), which was inherited by his son, Sanai, and grandson, Huasexiang. zuoling managed the basic organizational structure within the banner, while Yunqiwei was a hereditary title. The original genealogy clearly includes the process of being wounded and then dying from a recurrence of his wounds; it is inappropriate to abbreviate this to "died on the spot," nor can Gouleshen's military achievements be attributed to his father.

The genealogy also records that his grandson, Bangniu, served as a Xiaoqi Xiao (a military rank), his great-grandson, Saida, served as a Fangyu (a military rank), and his great-great-grandson, Buhan, served as a Xiaoqi Xiao. Substantive appointments and hereditary titles are two types of records. A descendant being appointed as a Xiaoji Xiao does not necessarily mean they have inherited the title of Yunqi Wei (Yunqiwei (hereditary merit rank)), and vice versa. The appearance of the same official title across generations does not directly prove hereditary succession. The ancestral home in Changbai Mountain, the dates of battle and death in Jianning, and the succession relationships across generations require verification from the original printed source and archives.