Erken

Overview

Erken was a member of the Ilari clan, belonging to the Bordered Blue Banner, and his family had lived in Ula for generations. Volume 47 of the Qing Dynasty official genealogy, *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, provides a specific explanation of the origin of his surname: The family's original surname was Nara, but his grandfather, Tululun, changed it to Ilari after moving to Ihan Alin City. Erken submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty, and his troops were organized into a zuoling (military unit), which he managed. The zuoling refers both to the basic organization of the Eight Banners and the official in charge of that organization; this record implies both the organization of the population and the granting of administrative responsibilities.

His son, Murtai, served as a Xie Ling (assistant commander). Erte, a military officer, participated in battles in Dingtao and other places, earning the title of Yunqiwei (a military rank) for his military achievements. Later, through imperial decree, he was promoted to Third-Class Qingche duwei. After Erte retired due to old age, his son, Dartai, inherited the title, which later became Deputy Commander-in-Chief and zuoling. This branch continued until Borsun, who, after deducting the additional imperial decree, inherited the title of Yunqiwei. In another branch of the family, Erken's grandson, Ashan, served as Governor-General of Jiangnan and Jiangxi and Minister of Justice. The governor-general oversaw local military and political affairs, while the minister presided over central government affairs; their authority levels differed. These records pertain to descendants. The genealogy also explicitly states that Erliken and Huifa's Ikten are of the same clan, providing direct evidence for identifying their lineage. The location of Ihan Alin City and the date of the surname change still need verification.