Eha

Overview

Eha is a member of the Dongjia clan in Volume 53 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. He belonged to the Bordered Yellow Banner and lived in Jiamuhu. He submitted to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty and served as a military officer. His great-grandson, Meihe, also served as a military officer in the conquest of Yunnan, and was awarded the title of Yunqiwei for his merits. After his death, the title was inherited by his grandson Balang, as recorded in the original text.

The military officer was a low-ranking official in the military organization, involved in troop management, training, and related guard duties. Yunqiwei was a hereditary title of merit, which could be inherited by relatives under certain regulations and cannot be considered another name for the military officer position. Although Eha and Meihe shared the same title, the original text does not mention that the latter succeeded his ancestor in the same position. Balang's descendants should be understood as following the narrative after Meihe, and should be re-corrected according to the original text.

The original book also lists his great-grandson Zhongzhu as a scribe, Mukeshan as a cavalry officer, and Samuha as a military officer. His descendants held positions such as defense officer, captain, and clerk. The Manchu word "bithesi" is related to "bithe" meaning "book" or "document"; "zhushi" refers to a position in an official government office. The Dongjia clan was a Manchu clan, with Jiamuhu as their ancestral home, while Yunnan was the site of the Meihe battlefield, thus they cannot be attributed to the Oha people. The modern location of their ancestral home, the dates of the war, and their respective government offices are yet to be verified.