Sardu Clan

Overview

The Sardu clan is a Manchu surname recorded in Volume 59 of the official genealogy of the Manchu clans of the Eight Banners, compiled during the Qianlong reign. They resided in Hada and were listed under the section on rare surnames in the Bordered Yellow Banner. A representative figure, Tuobohui, surrendered to the Qing dynasty at its beginning and served as a scribe. His son, Fobao, served as a secretary, and his grandson, Laituhu, served as a third-class imperial bodyguard. These three positions belonged to three generations—grandfather, father, and grandson—and cannot be combined into a single resume for Tuobohui.

The term "scribe" is a transliteration of the Manchu word "bithesi," primarily involving copying, translation, and document processing. A secretary was a civil official in the government office responsible for related matters, while a third-class imperial bodyguard belonged to the emperor's guard and retinue. Therefore, the family's records include both administrative documents and close military service, not a single official position passed down continuously for three generations.

The genealogy organizes individuals by surname, banner affiliation, ancestral home, and official position. "Bordered Yellow Banner" indicates affiliation within the Eight Banners, "Hada" indicates ancestral home, and "beginning of the Qing dynasty" is a general term for the period of surrender. The arrangement of surnames is part of the book's format and cannot be used to estimate the total number of people in the clan. The original text does not record the specific government office where Tuo Bohui served, and the location of Hada Village, the terms of office of the three individuals, and their Manchu surnames still need to be verified with the original engraving and their resumes.