Biertuli

Overview

Biertuli is a member of the Gejile clan recorded in Volume 45 of the Qing Dynasty's official genealogy, *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. He belonged to the Plain Blue Banner, and his family had lived in Ningguta for generations before submitting to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. The genealogy focuses on the official positions and hereditary titles held by his descendants. His grandson, Shuodui, originally served as a Qiduwei (hereditary merit rank); his great-grandson, Yantai, served as the governor of Gansu; Shaerhuda served as a secretary; Abao served as an assistant secretary; his great-grandson, Arsai, served as a military officer; and his great-great-grandson, Geseli, served as a second-class bodyguard.

The governor was an important official responsible for the local administration of a province. Secretaries and assistant secretaries were officials in central government ministries and departments, with specific duties depending on the department they belonged to. These titles should not be interpreted literally as attendants or private staff. Military officers and bodyguards belonged to different official systems, such as those within the banner garrisons and those within the princely residences.

His great-grandson, Arhuda, served as a fifth-rank official in the war against Wang Pingfan and his forces in Shaanxi. He died in battle and was posthumously awarded the title of Yunqiwei. During the compilation of this work, his younger brother's son, Gebei, inherited the title. This is an inheritance by a collateral branch of the family, not a father-son succession. His descendant, Gesen, also served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice in Shengjing, reflecting another clue regarding his position in the central government. Ningguta is a historical place name in Northeast China, but the old city, the new city, and the relocation of government offices must be interpreted in stages; the ancestral residence cannot be directly taken as the place of office for all descendants.