Qian Shidao

Overview

Qian Shidao was a bondservant (baoyi) of the Plain Blue Banner during the Qing Dynasty. His family had lived in Shenyang for generations, but the year of their submission is unknown. In the Qian family entry of Volume 78 of the official genealogy of the Manchu clans of the Eight Banners, compiled during the Qianlong reign, his great-grandson Qian Qingyuan held the position of sixth-rank bondservant leader at the time of compilation, while Changchun held the position of eighth-rank official. "Great-grandson" is a genealogical term used for great-great-grandsons, and Changchun is listed under his name; it cannot be interpreted as a place name in this context.

"Bundervant leader" was a managerial title within the bondservant organization, not a description of height, age, or "great servant." The original entry clearly assigns Qian Qingyuan the sixth-rank title; this should be retained along with his title in the introduction. The rank of a person with the same name in another organization should not be substituted for the original text. The organization and management of the Eight Banners bondservant leaders (zuoling and guanling) are crucial background information for understanding these official positions.

The Plain Blue Banner was not part of the Upper Three Banners of the Imperial Household Department; therefore, its bondservant members could not be automatically incorporated into the Imperial Household Department's Three Banners system. The "Imperially Commissioned General History of the Eight Banners" also lists the banner-specific records of bondservants, captains, and related personnel of the Prince's Mansion; however, the specific official positions and subordinates of Qian Qingyuan still need to be verified separately from the official records.