Angguoduli Bayan

Overview

Angguoduli Bayan is an ancestor of the family recorded in the Xitala clan entry of Volume 43 of the *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. He belonged to the Plain White Banner and lived in the Niyaman Mountains region for generations, submitting to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. Xitala is a Manchu surname; Plain White Banner refers to the banner affiliation, both indicating clan affiliation and organizational structure. The official Qing dynasty genealogy arranged individuals by clan and traced several generations of descendants under the names of ancestors; therefore, although this entry is lengthy, its main content actually pertains to his descendants.

His fourth-generation descendant, Kuli, served as Vice Minister of Revenue and was awarded the title of Qiduwei (hereditary merit rank) for pacifying Hurhan and others. Later, due to additional appointments, performance evaluations, and imperial edicts during the Qing dynasty's conquest of China, his hereditary titles were gradually increased. His fifth-generation descendant, Shuodai, served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Minister of State Affairs, participating in military operations in Shandong, Yunnan, Guizhou, and against Galdan. His sixth-generation descendant, Haishou, served as a military officer in the campaign against the Dzungars, died in battle, and was posthumously awarded the title of Yunqiwei, which was inherited by his son, Shatong'a. These achievements and official titles belonged to the Kuli, Shuodai, and Haishou respectively, and cannot be attributed to Angguo Duli Bayan himself.

The Ministry of Revenue was responsible for finances and provisions, and the Vice Minister was a high-ranking official within the ministry; the Deputy Commander-in-Chief belonged to the Eight Banners military and political system. The titles of Qiduwei (hereditary merit rank) and Yunqiwei (hereditary merit rank) were hereditary titles held by meritorious officials and could be inherited according to regulations, differing from positions that actually commanded troops or handled financial affairs. The book also records that the Kuli branch was no longer allowed to inherit the title after Azhu's death, indicating that inheritance was not an unlimited, automatic continuation. The specific location of Niyaman Mountain and the birth and death dates of Angguo Duli Bayan are yet to be verified.