Kurdan'a

Overview

Kurdan'a was a member of the Ilari clan, belonging to the Plain Yellow Banner. His family had lived in Yehe for generations and submitted to the Qing dynasty during the Tiancong era. The official Qing dynasty genealogy, *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, Volume 47, places this branch within the Ilari clan of Yehe. Tiancong was the reign title of Huang Taiji, occurring before the Qing dynasty entered the Central Plains. The historical region corresponding to Yehe is related to the present-day Yehe area of ​​Siping, Jilin Province; therefore, Kurdan'a's specific village location cannot be determined from this geographical record.

His great-grandson, Zhengkune, served as a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet and concurrently as Vice Minister of Rites; Buyan served as an eighth-rank official. His great-great-grandson, Zhentai, served as a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet; Changshu served as an assistant bow maker; Huase served as a cavalry officer; and Changshou served as a scribe. His fourth-generation descendant, Yue Nai, served as a second-class bodyguard; and Laibao and Liuge served as scribes. The Grand Secretariat was responsible for processing imperial edicts and memorials. Grand Secretariat Academicians and Attendant Academicians were different official titles. The Manchu name for a scribe was bithesi, an official responsible for handling documents and translation. Second-class guards belonged to the attendant system of princes' residences, distinct from the Grand Secretariat civil officials. The *Draft History of the Qing Dynasty* records an entry for the Military Equipment Bureau called "Gushan Da," also known as "Bow and Arrow Assistant Leader," later changed to "Bow Master." Their responsibilities were related to the production and management of bows and arrows, providing institutional context for understanding "Bow and Arrow Assistant Leader." Whether Chang Shu belonged to this specific quota, his term of office, and Kuerdang'a's own position still need verification.