Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period/Minggadari
MINGGADARI (Minggandari) 明安達禮, d. 1669, was a member of the Mongol Sirut 西魯特 clan which was settled in the Korchin district. His father Bobotu 博博圖 brought a group of fellow-tribesmen to join Nurhaci [q. v.] and was later made captain of a company (niru ejen) under the Mongol Plain White Banner. Minggadari inherited his father's rank on the death of the latter in 1627. In 1638 he accompanied Yoto [q. v.] on an expedition through the Great Wall as far as southern Chihli, and in 1642 took part in a similar invasion under the leadership of Abatai [q. v.]. After the capture of Peking in 1644 he joined in the pursuit of the bandit Li Tzŭ-ch'êng [q. v.]. Having distinguished himself in this operation he was appointed in 1646 vice-president of the Board of War, but was soon sent on active service to put down the Sunid 蘇尼特 rebellion.
The Sunids were a Mongol tribe who lived north of Kalgan between Chahar and the Gobi Desert. Their chieftains claimed direct descent from Genghis Khan. One of these, Tenghis 騰機思, had first come in 1637 to declare his submission to T'ai-tsung (Abahai, q.v.). In the following year he led a scouting party of Sunids in the van of Tai-tsung's expedition against the Khalka Mongols. In 1639 he brought a present of camels and horses, and two years later was granted by T'ai-tsung the rank of Jasak doroi chün-wang which continued throughout the Ch'ing dynasty to be the title held by the chief of the "left wing" of the Sunid tribe. Tenghis had remained loyal to the Manchus until 1646 when he joined the Cecen Khan 車臣汗 in a rebellion. Minggadari led an army into Outer Mongolia along the Kerulen River and pursued the rebels as far as the neighborhood of Urga. The rebellion was thus quelled and Tenghis surrendered in 1648.
Minggadari, on his return, was promoted commander of the Mongol Plain White Banner. In 1650 he became president of the Board of War and in 1652 a member of the Council of Princes and High Officials, receiving the hereditary rank of viscount of the second class. He was degraded in 1653, but after a victory in 1655 against the Russians on the Amur River (see under Šarhûda) was appointed in 1656 president of the Court of Colonial Affairs. He was again active in 1659 in the expedition against Chêng Ch'êng-kung [q. v.] from which he was recalled to resume his position as president of the Board of War. He retired from service in 1667 and died two years later. The posthumous name, Min-kuo 敏果, was conferred on him, and the minor hereditary rank of Ch'ing-ch'ê tu-yü 輕車都尉, first class, passed to his descendants.
[1/234/9b; 2/5/7b; 3/43/1a; 11/13/58b; on the Sunid tribe 1/524/12a.]
George A. Kennedy