Qi Xitu

Overview

Qi Xitu appears in Volume 58 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, under the entry for the Kangjieda clan. He belonged to the Plain White Banner, and his family had long resided in Heilongjiang. He served as a third-class imperial bodyguard, but the year of his surrender is unknown. The entry for third-class imperial bodyguard was not a list of his descendants' official positions.

Kangjieda is a Manchu surname listed in the original text, with Heilongjiang as their ancestral home. Heilongjiang serves as a historical geographical clue; modern provincial borders cannot be directly used as the boundaries of the family's activities, nor can his garrisoning in Heilongjiang be inferred solely from his original residence. The Plain White Banner indicates his affiliation within the Eight Banners system, which is different from his original Jiangliu region.

A third-class imperial bodyguard was a rank within the emperor's bodyguard system, linked to duties such as guarding, escorting, and rotating shifts, distinct from the third-class guards of princes' residences. Qi Xitu's specific service unit, shift, and term of office are not recorded, so he cannot be presumed to be a Qianqing Gate bodyguard, nor can his entire career details be deduced from his later official rank. The descendants of Serguleng of the same clan who held guard positions belonged to different branches and should not be included in Qishitu's personal resume.