Jump to content

Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period/Inggûldai

From Wikisource
3640919Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period, Volume 1 — InggûldaiArthur W. HummelGeorge A. Kennedy

INGGÛLDAI 英俄爾岱, 1596–1648, Feb., belonged to the Tatara clan living at Jakûmu. As a young boy he was taken by his grandfather, Daitukû hari 岱圖庫哈理, to join the forces of Nurhaci [q. v.]. He first won distinction in 1619 at the attack on K'ai-yüan when he killed a Mongol warrior named Abur who was fighting on the Chinese side. After further exploits he was promoted in 1621 to a place as lieutenant-colonel in the Plain White Banner. During Abahai's [q. v.] campaign into north China in 1629 Inggûldai and Fan Wên-ch'êng [q. v.], were put in charge of the captured city of Tsun-hua while the main force moved on towards Peking. He again showed his bravery by repulsing a Ming army that was attempting to retake the surrounding territory. Two years later, when the six ministries were established, Inggûldai became a director in the Board of Revenue. During the next two years he collected food and other supplies for the Manchu armies. As the best source for these was Korea he went twice on missions into that country in 1633 to arrange for levies of grain. In 1636, when again in Korea to announce the assumption by Abahai of the imperial title of T'ai-tsung, his life was endangered and he was forced to make a hasty and dramatic escape back across the border. The hostile attitude of Korea led T'ai-tsung to make war on her in the same year. By 1637 the Korean king had been driven into hiding and Inggûldai and another general were sent as commissioners to arrange terms of peace. Supplies continued to be brought from Korea under the direction of Inggûldai who discharged the duties of his office with distinction. Although accused of various offenses he was consistently pardoned by T'ai-tsung who appreciated his organizing ability. In 1644 he became president of the Board of Revenue, and at the review of his service three years later he was granted the rank of duke of the second class. After his death in 1648 the title passed to his son, Itu, but was lowered by Emperor Shih-tsu in the reaction following the death of Dorgon [q. v.] in 1650. During the Ch'ien-lung period the hereditary rank was fixed as that of viscount of the third class.


[1/234/6b; 3/41/4a; 11/4/1a; 34/156/15b.]

George A. Kennedy