Qing De

Overview

Qingde, whose mother's original name was "Qingde," was the great-grandson of the Hushitun branch of the Hong'e clan. Volume 55 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* records that he once served as a zuoling (military officer). The Hushitun family belonged to the Bordered White Banner, residing in Hada for generations, and submitted to the Qing dynasty at the beginning of the dynasty. His ancestor, Hushitun, served as a military officer, and his descendants, Ahanikan and Edebei, both served as Langzhong (official in charge) and zuoling.

A zuoling refers both to a basic unit of the Eight Banners and to the official in charge of that unit. The zuoling was responsible for matters such as the household registration, military records, training, and land ownership of the subordinate soldiers. zuoling could have different positions and succession methods. The original text only states that Qingde once held this position, without specifying whose zuoling he inherited or proving that it was a hereditary zuoling position; therefore, it cannot be automatically added that he "inherited his father's position."

A Langzhong was a civil official under a ministry or department, while a zuoling was a banner official. "Langzhong concurrently zuoling" indicates holding both positions concurrently; Qingde's entry only lists zuoling, and should not simply copy his ancestor's Langzhong position. Qingnai and Qingge also served as a clerk and a secretary respectively in the same great-grandson generation. This section helps to understand the distribution of official positions within the family branch, but the order of these positions cannot be used to infer the fathers or kinship of the three individuals. Qingde's years of service, his zuoling number, and his direct succession still require further archival verification.