Hetuo

Overview

Hetuo was a member of the Irkule clan of the Bordered White Banner. Volume 39 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he lived in the Nuoluo region for generations. He submitted to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty and served in the military as a banner member without a regular appointment. During the attack on Wenshang County, he was the first to scale the city walls and was awarded the title of Baturu and appointed Qiduwei. He was later promoted to Second-class Qingche duwei by imperial decree. Baturu was a title of bravery, while Qiduwei and Qingche duwei were hereditary titles, and "unappointed" referred to his current status.

His eldest son, Xiteku, inherited the title but retired due to old age. The title was then passed to Dase through Yuese. Dase inherited the title but retained the Qiduwei title after deducting the imperial decree's bonus. He was later dismissed, and his uncle, Heyatu, succeeded him. Succession after retirement, dismissal, and death are different situations; the narrative cannot simply state that he died in battle and his son succeeded him, nor can every successor be referred to as Hetuo's son.

He Tuo's second son, Luo Duoli, served as a Langzhong (a high-ranking official), and his third son, Gabula, served as a Bitieshi (a scribe). His grandchildren also held Bitieshi and eighth-rank official positions, and his great-grandchildren included Juren (successful candidates in the provincial civil service examination) and Jiansheng (students of the Imperial Academy). Langzhong and Bitieshi were substantive positions, the eighth rank was a rank designation, and Juren and Jiansheng were qualifications for entering officialdom through education. The origins of Noro, the succession relationships between generations, the Bitieshi's office, and the dates of obtaining the imperial examination qualifications await verification from the original printed source and archives.