Tengzhu

Overview

Tengzhu was a member of the Sacha clan of the Bordered Blue Banner during the Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Hunchun for generations, and he served as an Infantry Captain. Volume 57 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners* lists him in a group where the year of his submission is unknown; therefore, we cannot supplement his record with the same year based on the early submission records of other figures.

The Sacha clan is listed as a Manchu surname in the original book, with ancestral homes in Warka and Hunchun. Hunchun here is related to the geographical evolution of present-day Hunchun in Jilin Province, but the original entry does not specify village coordinates. Banner affiliation and ancestral home record their organizational affiliation and original family residence, respectively; we cannot determine the location of an Infantry Captain's post simply by ancestral home in Hunchun.

An Infantry Captain was a low-ranking official in the infantry system. During the Qing Dynasty, the Beijing Infantry Command system was responsible for the management of city gates, patrols, and soldiers; official records detail the positions of Wing Captains, Infantry Captains, and City Gate Officers. The specific unit and term of office of Tengzhu are not recorded. It is appropriate to use this institutional background to explain the nature of his position. He cannot be given command of the entire government office or credit for a single capture of thieves.