Yan Chengru

Overview

Yan Chengru is a member of the Yan clan recorded in Volume 77 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*. He belonged to the Bordered Yellow Banner and was a bondservant officer. His family had lived in Shenyang for generations, but the exact year of their arrival is unknown. Unlike entries that only record the official positions of their descendants, the genealogy explicitly states that he himself served as a prefect. This is a fact that can be directly attributed to Yan Chengru, but the original text does not record the prefect's location, term of office, or related achievements.

His son, Yasitai, served as a deputy general; his grandson, Seketu, served as an inner steward when the genealogy was compiled. Among his great-grandsons, Sangge served as an assistant minister, Zhongfu as a military officer, Suozhu as a shepherd, Serte as a storehouse manager, Side as a scribe, and Qingde as a storehouse commissioner. His great-great-grandsons, Deshou and Fushou, served as military officers and scribes, respectively; his fourth-generation descendant, Liushiyi, served as a storehouse commissioner, and Shuangxi and Fuseng'e also served as storehouse commissioners when the genealogy was compiled.

This family record includes positions in local administration, military affairs, the Imperial Household Department, and storehouse management. Yan Chengru's experience as prefect and Ya Sitai's experience as deputy general should be described separately, and the titles of later generations as those of their ancestors should not be mistaken for those of their ancestors. The original book does not specify the exact dates of appointment for each generation, so one cannot infer consecutive promotions based on the order of their positions.