Qiduli

Overview

Qiduli is a member of the Gejile clan recorded in Volume 45 of the official Qing Dynasty genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. He belonged to the Plain White Banner and lived in Namudulu. He submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of its rule and originally served as a captain in the Imperial Guard. The Imperial Guard was part of the Qing Dynasty's close-knit guard system, and the captain in charge of the Imperial Guard was responsible for the management and duties of his assigned troops; it was not simply a general term for a commander's personal bodyguard.

His son, Susana, originally served as a Vanguard Captain, and Chama was originally a Yunqiwei (a military rank); his grandson, Mahu, also originally held the Yunqiwei position. The Vanguard Captain was an officer in the Vanguard organization, while Yunqiwei was a hereditary title of merit; they should not be understood as positions within the same unit, one above the other. The genealogy does not specify whether Mahu directly inherited Chama's position; kinship and the chain of succession must be verified separately.

His great-grandson, Mashitai, is recorded as a "candidate scribe." The Manchu name for a scribe is bithesi, which is related to bithe meaning "book" or "document." It refers to an official in the government office responsible for writing, translating, and other document-related tasks; bithei should not be taken as a complete official title. "Houbu" indicates a state of waiting to be appointed; therefore, this text does not state that Mashtai has already assumed the position of scribe in a certain department. The original name variant of Qiduli, the former location of Namudulu, and the dates of his various appointments are pending verification; the original entry in the Muku will be retained.