Zhe'erde Clan

Overview

The Zhe'erde clan is a Manchu surname listed in Volume 48 of the Qing Dynasty's official genealogy, *The Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. The general introduction states that its members were scattered in places like Jiefan. The main text separately lists Tabudai of the Plain Yellow Banner in Jiefan and Yarukan of the Plain White Banner in Ula, both branches belonging to those who submitted to the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. The appearance of different banner affiliations under the same clan name indicates that surname affiliation and the Eight Banners system were two related but distinct classifications.

Tabudai's eldest son, Gushan, served as a zuoling (military officer) and died in battle in Korea, receiving the posthumous title of Qiduwei. Yarukan's eldest son, Qitong'e, and second son, Exing'e, served as Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Rites, respectively. Qiduwei was a hereditary title, while Vice Ministers were high-ranking civil officials assisting in the administration of their respective ministries. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Rites each had different responsibilities, including criminal law and etiquette. The appendix also lists Zherde of Hada in the Plain Blue Banner, Yandai of Ulahada in the Bordered Blue Banner, as well as Hundai, a bondservant of the Bordered Yellow Banner, and Feiyanggu, a bondservant of the Plain White Banner. The year of the latter two's submission is unknown. Among them, the name "Zherde" is identical to the surname, and should be distinguished by the structure of the entry. The precise location of Jiefan and other places, the original form of the Manchu surname, and the cross-branch lineage still need to be verified.