Hu Shili

Overview

Hu Shili was a member of the Manchu Feimo clan, belonging to the Bordered Red Banner. His family had lived in the Burhatu region for generations, and he submitted to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. He served as an assistant department director (*yuanwailang*) and concurrently as a zuoling (military officer). Volume 44 of the official Qing dynasty compilation, *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, states that he was the son of Hu Erhan, the elder brother of Nan Jilan. Therefore, Hu Shili and Nan Jilan were uncle and nephew, not brothers.

The position of assistant department director (*yuanwailang*) was an official in charge of administrative affairs in the ministries and departments, while the position of zuoling managed the basic organization of the Eight Banners. The fact that he held both positions simultaneously indicates that Hu Shili held two concurrent posts. His son, Wenda, started as a scribe in the Censorate, and rose through the ranks to become a Supervising Secretary, a Director of Arrests, a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet concurrently serving as Vice Minister of Rites, and later Minister of Works, Minister of Personnel, and Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall concurrently serving as Minister of Personnel. A scribe was responsible for document translation, a Supervising Secretary was a censor, and a Grand Secretary entered the high-level political arena; this long list of promotions cannot be mistakenly attributed to Hu Shili himself.

This passage quotes the emperor's evaluation of Wenda's service and filial piety, and recounts how he requested retirement due to old age, was granted permission, was reinstated, and died with a posthumous honor of a state funeral and the posthumous title of Wenjian. The term "retirement" refers to being granted permission to leave office, and "Wenjian" is a posthumous title, not part of his name during his lifetime. This passage focuses on Wenda; information about Hu Shili himself is relatively brief. The dates of Hu Shili's appointment, the department he belonged to, and the current location of Burhatu are yet to be verified.