Zhanuka

Overview

Zhanuka was a member of the Manchu Murcha clan, belonging to the Plain White Banner. His family had lived in Suifen for generations and submitted to the Qing dynasty at its beginning. Volume 43 of the official Qing dynasty genealogy, *The Complete Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he served as a non-official bannerman, and was the second to scale the city walls during the attack on Lijin County, Shandong. For his merit, he was awarded the title of Yunqiwei (LongWei), and later received imperial edicts three times, which elevated him to the rank of Third-Class Qingche duwei.

"Non-official" here refers to a bannerman who did not hold the corresponding official position. Yunqiwei and Qingche duwei were hereditary ranks of meritorious officials; the original text first records the merit of the siege, then the imperial edicts, indicating that the increase in hereditary rank could have different causes. The portion added by imperial edicts could also be deducted in subsequent inheritances; the highest rank cannot be considered a permanent status for each generation.

After Zhanuka's death, his grandson Sige inherited the title, and after Sige's death, his son Fuqi inherited it. Fuqi was later dismissed from his post. His uncle, Yushibao, inherited the title of Yunqiwei after deducting the portion added by imperial edicts. The book also records that Zhanuka's son, Babuna, once served as a concubine's son, and his brother's son, Yizao, once served as a military officer. Here, "cubuna" is an official title; in the Qing Dynasty, concubines were appointed to the Left and Right Spring Palaces of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and they participated in recording and writing. Babuna cannot be interpreted according to his status as a legitimate or illegitimate son within the family. The specific ancestral home location of Suifen, the exact year of the attack on Lijin, and the affiliation of Babuna's Left and Right Spring Palaces are yet to be verified.