Qi Tianfu

Overview

Qi Tianfu appears in Volume 77 of the *Comprehensive Genealogy of the Manchu Clans of the Eight Banners*, listed as a member of the Plain Yellow Banner's bondservant banner (baoyi qigu). His family had lived in Shenyang for generations, and the year of their submission to the Manchus is unknown. The original text does not list Qi Tianfu's official position; therefore, the description of his status should be separated from the following account of his descendants' positions. "Boatservant banner" is a clearly recorded organizational status in the original text, and cannot be simply attributed to the family using a Han surname and thus being classified as a Han military banner.

The genealogy states that his son, Heshan, served as a court official; his grandson, Qi Renjie, served as a guerrilla commander; Qi Shijie served as a treasurer; and Qi Wanjie served as a scribe. His great-grandson, Qi Jin, served as a lieutenant commander; and Qi Wei served as a scribe when the genealogy was compiled. The official positions held by several generations involved local military posts, treasury management, grassroots banner organization, and government clerical work, indicating a shift in the family's official career paths. However, there is no direct evidence that Qi Tianfu himself participated in any battles or handled any official duties.

The terms "former" and "current" are merely distinctions made during the original compilation of the book regarding official rank and cannot be used to infer a person's lifelong career. Similarly, the specific location of positions such as guerrilla commander and lieutenant commander cannot be determined solely by their official titles. While the entry on Qi Tianfu serves as a genealogical record of a Manchu bannerman during the Qing Dynasty, confirming family affiliation, ancestral residence, and lineage, it does not yet provide sufficient independent material for compiling a detailed personal biography.