Bai Clan

Overview

The Bai family records the Xie Xuesheng family in Volume 74 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, listing them as Nikan surnames within the Manchu banners. Xie Xuesheng belonged to the Bordered Yellow Banner under the jurisdiction of a bondservant official, residing in Fushun for generations; the year of his submission is unknown. His son, Baozhu, served as a shepherd, and Bohe served as a minister in the Military Equipment Bureau; his grandson, Sartai, served as a commander of the Imperial Guard, and Xierta served as an internal steward; his great-grandson, Guanbao, served as a third-class imperial bodyguard, Shenbao served as a scribe when compiling the genealogy, and his great-great-grandson, Liushi, served as a bodyguard.

The Military Equipment Bureau was in charge of the military affairs of the inner court. The shepherd was associated with shepherding and management, while the internal steward managed the personnel and supplies under his jurisdiction. The commander of the Imperial Guard was the head of the Imperial Guard organization, a position different in nature from the one handling the inner court's supplies. The positions held by each generation collectively demonstrate the activities of this bondservant family in military, military equipment, and service management.

The title "Biteshi" is a transliteration of the Manchu word "bithesi," and the official in charge of document drafting, copying, and translation. This position of Shenbao should be explained separately from that of Guanbao, a third-rank imperial guard. The original title in the main text is "Bai Shi," while the ancestral name in the electronic text is "Xie Xuesheng." During compilation, the original title will be retained for now, and it will not be changed to "Bai Xuesheng." The relationship between the title and the characters of the name, the term of office, and the specific institution will be verified against the original engraving.