Kang Ke Lai

Overview

Kang Kalai (simplified as Kang Kalai) was a member of the Hurha clan in the early Qing Dynasty, belonging to the Bordered Blue Banner, and residing in Xindamo City. Volume 48 of the official Qing Dynasty compilation, *the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, records that he initially led his brothers to surrender to the Qing Dynasty. His troops were assigned a zuoling (military officer), which he commanded, and he was granted the title of Zhalguqi, ranking among the sixteen ministers. He later rose to the position of Minister of Works. The Zhalguqi title appearing after his name is an official title and cannot be considered a separate name.

The Zhalguqi title was related to early litigation, interrogation, and adjudication; zuoling also referred to the officials in charge of the Eight Banners' grassroots organization and its management. The Minister of Works was the head of the Ministry of Works, which was responsible for engineering and construction projects. These titles reflect appointments at different times and cannot be simply reconstructed from later fixed ranks to represent his entire early status. Kangkalai's son, Xinahai, participated in the battles of Jinzhou and the conquest of the pass as a zuoling (military officer), earning the rank of Yunqiwei (a military rank). Later, through imperial decree, he was promoted to Third-Class Qingche duwei and appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief and zuoling. His descendants, Daofuse and Hulin, continued to inherit the position, with Hulin's position having the imperial decree's additional grant deducted. The genealogy explicitly states that Kangkalai, Nahantai, and Zhuerku were of the same clan, connecting different branches from different regions. The specific appointment dates of the sixteen ministers, the location of the new Damu city, and complete succession records still need to be verified.