Ma Hai

Overview

Ma Hai is a figure from the Meng'e Suo clan in Volume 57 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, recorded as a bondservant of the Plain Red Banner, whose family had lived in the Changbai Mountains region for generations. The genealogy clearly records that Ma Hai himself served as a ceremonial official; this title belongs to his personal resume and should not be confused with the official positions held by his descendants. The original book lists him among those who surrendered at the beginning of the dynasty, but does not give a specific date of surrender in this entry.

Ma Hai's son, Niyaha, also served as a ceremonial official, and his grandson, Etehe, served as a bondservant captain at the time of compilation. His great-grandson, Chengning, served as a treasurer, and Zengsheng served as a scribe. The original text then specifically states that Chengning and Zengsheng had already changed their affiliation to their respective Manchu banners. This "change of affiliation" is a record of their change in status and cannot be used to infer that Ma Hai himself had already left the bondservant system.

Ma Hai's branch is particularly suitable for explaining the relationship between banner affiliation and bondservant status during the Qing Dynasty: the genealogy marks the ancestors as bondservant of the Plain Red Banner while simultaneously recording the later changes in affiliation of their descendants. Researchers should describe the original identities of different generations separately, and should not apply a later identity change to all ancestors.