Zhuanta Clan

Overview

The Zhuanta clan is a Manchu surname recorded in Volume 57 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, an official compilation of the Qianlong reign. The genealogy begins by stating that their ancestral home was Nimacha. Zhezhong'e of the Plain White Banner had a family ancestor in Nimacha; his great-grandson, Baiha, served as an assistant department director (*yuanwailang*); and a fifth-generation descendant served as a Colonel of the Infantry. The name of this descendant contains a graphic character in the electronic text, so the name will not be determined based on the character's shape.

Other members of the same surname include Aita of the Plain White Banner, whose original place of origin is unknown. He himself served as a Assistant Commander; his son, Laidali, served as a Cavalry Colonel; and his grandson, Qilelun, served as a Compiler. Ersongge, also from the Plain White Banner, also has an unknown place of origin and served as a Colonel of the Infantry. The years of all three branches' submission are unknown. Although Nimacha is listed in the general introduction, it is still impossible to unify the two individuals whose original places of origin are explicitly unknown as being from Nimacha.

An assistant department director (*yuanwailang*) was a common civil service position in the central government; a Compiler belonged to the Hanlin Academy's literary and historical officials, responsible for historical writing and compilation; Assistant Commanders, Cavalry Colonels, and Colonels of the Infantry were military officers. The Aita branch thus preserved clues that the grandfather and grandson each held military and cultural/historical positions respectively, indicating that the same official post was not held by three generations. The graphic names, Chileren's resume, and kinship relationships between the various branches still require cross-verification with the original engravings and archives.