Subject: ᡩᠣᡵᠣᡳ beile prince as military commander
Culture: Jurchen / Manchu
Setting: early Qing empire, Manchuria/China 17th-early 18thc
Evolution:
Context (Event Photos, Primary Sources Secondary Sources, Field Notes)
* Barfield 1992 p252-253, 258
"After he [Nurhachi] had united most of the [Jurchen] tribes he centralized power and, in 1615, declared himself khan ... [...] In 1601, at the beginning of his conquests, Nurhachi established four banners (the Yellow, Red, White, and Blue) ... [...] In his will Nurhachi [d. 1626] proposed that the government be run by a council of the eight beiles [princes], each in command of a banner."
* Barfield 1992 p255
"Although raiding along the frontier had become endemic, the Jurchen attack on Fu-shun was the first major conflict between Nurhachi and the Ming. The Ming responded by sending an expeditionary force of 80,000-90,000 troops to attack the Jurchens in 1619. Nurhachi defeated this force at Sar Hu and its destruction precipitated a string of surrenders by cities in Liao-tung so that by 1621 all areas of the peninsula east of the Liao River were in Jurchen hands."
* Barfield 1992 p260
"The official declaration of the Ch'ing Dynasty in 1636 marked both the greater ambition and organization of Hung Taiji's [Nurhachi's successor] government. A year earlier he had proscribed the use of the terms 'Jurchen' and 'Chin' [dynasty]. Both appellations, he felt, harked back to the period of a small tribal people and a small dynasty. The 'Great Ch'ing' of the newly renamed 'Manchu' people aimed at a higher goal."
* DayDay News 2025-06-02 online
"In Qing Palace dramas, we often see the name Beile Ye. They have great power and high social status. Even some civil and military officials have to give great gifts when they see them. So how big is Beile of the Qing Dynasty? Who is more powerful than the first-rank official? What privileges do they have?
"Like the prince, Beile was not a specific official position in the Qing Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, Beile refers to royal relatives and nobles. Qing Taizu Nurhaci had enthroned the four major Beile, namely the Great Beile Daishan, the Second Beile Amin, the Three Beile [sic] Mongurtai, and the Four Beile [sic] Huang Taiji. They followed Nurhaci to fight everywhere since childhood, and also established great military achievements, and once alloed them to take charge of the country's politics. By the first year of Chongde, Huang Taiji established the title of royal family, and since then the title of Beile has been designated as the third level of royal family.
"[....] Beile is in the third level of royal titles. Although it feels not high, because the Qing Dynasty royal titles are all hereditary system, the initial titles of Beile are mostly princes, and their fathers or grandchildren [sic] are mostly emperors. As the titles are enthroned one after another they are generally the prince's son inherited the titles Beile. [sic] Therefore, only if the roots and the bloodline is extremely pure [sic] can you obtain Baylor's [sic] identity. Moreover, his political future is extremely bright and he is a powerful candidate for the throne and prince.
"[....] So Beile is not the name of an official, but the rank of a higher title. The title was a symbol of identity, money and status in the Qing Dynasty, which was incomparable to most officials. Therefore, even first-rank officials should bow to show respect when they see Beile. At the same time, some princes, princes and beiles [sic] will also serve in the court. But subordinates never call them by their official positions, but instead call them the titles of Prince, Beile and others to show their respect for titles."
"'Beile' is a variant of 'Beizi' in Manchu, originally referring to a prince or an elder member of the royal family. In the early Qing Dynasty, Beile was a respectful title for members of the royal family, and later gradually evolved into one of the feudal titles for members of the imperial house."
"Prince of the Third Rank (贝勒 bèilè): Generic title of all Manchu lords during the Ming dynasty and later reserved for imperial clan members in the Qing dynasty.
"Full title: 多罗贝勒 (duōluó bèilè); In Manchu, “Duoluo” means virtue, courtesy, or propriety while “Beile” means lord, prince, or chief.
"Typically granted to the son of a Qinwang or Junwang in the Qing Dynasty."
"In the Qing Dynasty, although the high-ranking titles such as princes and dukes no longer had substantial fiefs, their treatment was still generous, including salaries, rewards, and privileges, which were enough to allow them to live a life of luxury. For those who made outstanding military achievements, the Qing Dynasty also generously granted titles to commend their achievements. Although these titles also did not come with land, they still had immeasurable value in terms of social status, honor, and the protection of future generations.
"It is worth noting that one of the great innovations of the Qing Dynasty in the system of conferring titles was the establishment of the " Iron Hat King " system. This system allowed some princely titles to be inherited, meaning that the glory and privileges of these families could be passed down from generation to generation without being affected by the passage of time. This was not only a reward for the descendants of meritorious officials, but also a strategy for maintaining internal stability within the royal family. By granting a specific family a long-term stable status, it reduced internal power struggles and maintained the authority and stability of the imperial power.
"However, the nobility system is not perfect. In the Qing Dynasty, because the nobility was closely linked to privileges, some noble children often indulged in pleasure and did not make progress, which led to the gradual decline of the family. At the same time, with the changes of the times, the nobility system gradually revealed its rigid side and was difficult to adapt to the new social situation and governance needs."
Costume
* Ho/Bronson 2004 p58
"For the first hundred years after the Conquest, official robes and ornaments were relatively unregulated in terms of design and use. Detailed regulations were not published until 1759, with the appearance of the Illustrated Compendium of Qing Rituals. Qianlong himself wrote the preface to the book. In it he made the claim that the prescribed official costumes were distinctively Manchu and that changing to Han costumes would endanger the dynasty itself:
We accordingly have followed the traditions of our dynasty, and have not dared to change them, fearing that later men would hold us responsible and criticize us regarding the robes and hats; and thus we would offend our ancestors. ... [Earlier non-Han dynasties] all changed to Chinese robes and hats; they all died out within one generation. ... Do not change our Manchu traditions or reject them. Beware! Take warning!
The emperor may have been exaggerating the width of the gap between Ming and Qing costumes, however. ... Qing dragon robes were largely copied from Ming dragon robes."
* Dickinson/Wrigglesworth 2000 p144
"The early Manchu leaders obtained their first court robes either directly from the Ming court itself or from raids on Chinese settlements. The traditional Chinese cut of these garments was re-tailored to suit Manchu tastes. In this way several important features of the patterns of Ming robes were carried over to Qing court dress. Although dependent on supplies of fabric from China, which made it difficult to impose control over patterns, Abahai nevertheless decreed that nobody below the highest rank of Manchu prince could wear yellow robes or have their robes decorated with long.
"Court robes do not seem to have been widely available during the reign of the first Qing Emperor, Shunzhi. Commemorative portraits of nobles and officials dating from this period often carry inscriptions that indicate that their splendid court robes were gifts from the throne. In this way the court would have been able to keep a tight rein on the use of restricted colours and patterns. The first laws relating specifically to the designs of court robes begin to appear during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, when the Qing dynasty had secured access to the silk producing areas of China. The greater availability of fabrics brought with it the opportunity for misuse."
* Chester Beatty Library > Arts of the Book: East Asia
"Dragon Robes Dragon robes were the formal silk robes worn by the emperor, the imperial family and court for ceremonial functions. They were known as dragon robes (long pao) because they were elaborately decorated with the imperial emblem of the five-clawed dragon. Other auspicious symbols of authority and auspiciousness also adorned the robes.
"In the hierarchical society of imperial China, dress was a way to designate an individual's rank. The exact status of both male and female members of the imperial family, and of all officials, could be recognized at a glance according to the colours and designs of their garments.
"Dragon robes were manufactured in imperial silk workshops in a complex and time-consuming process. Creating a single dragon robe might require up to thirty months."
* Struve ed.tr. 1993 p51 (quoting Fr. Martino Martini ca. 1654)
"Their Garments are long Robes falling down to the very foot, but their sleeves are not so wide and large as the Chineses use; but rather such as are used in Polony [Poland] and Hungary, only with this difference, that they fashion the extremity of the Sleeve, ever like a Horse his Hoof. At their Girdle there hangs on either side two Handkerchiefs to wipe their face and hands; besides, there hangs a a Knife for all necessary uses, with two Purses, in which they carry Tobacco, or such like Commodities."
* Anawalt 2007 p169
"In battle, the pre-conquest Manchu wore their usual riding coats, sometimes quilted and sometimes covered by a coat of protective chain mail ...."
* Anawalt 2007 p167
"Surcoats, or bufu, were almost always worn over court robes, auxiliary garments that added an additional layer of insulation and also changed the appearance of an ensemble. Indeed, one was not properly dressed without a coat, hat and collar. Official court surcoats displayed rank badges, or buzi, sewn on the front and back so as to indicate the wearer's status, an all-important matter in the strict social grading of the imperial court. A plain surcoat without the buzi was worn domestically."
* Garrett 1998 p11
"The chao pao, or court robe, figured with dragons was the most important Qing robe and was worn for all momentous ceremonies and rituals at court. Its wear was restricted to the highest in the land: members of the imperial family, nobility, and high-ranking mandarins. Worn together with the pi ling collar, hat, girdle, and necklace, it formed the chao fu, literally 'court dress,' and was designated official formal wear."
* Garrett 1998 p26
"Robes with five-clawed dragons known as long pao continued to be the prerogative of the emperor, the heir apparent, and high-ranking princes, although the former could bestow this honour on lesser officials if he wished."
Sabers
* Struve ed.tr. 1993 p51 (quoting Fr. Martino Martini ca. 1654)
"On their left side they hang Scymiters, but so as the point goes before, and the handle behind, and therefore when they fight they draw it out with the right hand behind them without holding the Scabbard with the other."
* Bennett 2018 p74-75
"During the Qing dynasty, the dao continued to feature strongly. Large numbers were manufactured for issue to government troops, as they were distributed to ranks within the Banners and the enormous standing force provided by the Green Standard Army. Standardisation became more evident, at least in terms of the appearance of the sheathed sword. Officers were required to adhere to regulations about the materials, size, and ornamentation of their swords, which were often on full view when on parade, slung from the belt alongside their bow case. As a consequence of this, the fittings for a lot of dao from this period tend to suggest a level of conformity. The single-edged blades could vary in shape and curvature according to preference."
* Zhang 2009 p18
"Dao were used not only for fighting but also to signify a bearer's rank and class. Strict and detailed rules dictated the type of dao and decorations that could be worn by people of differing ranks. .... [A] sharp edge on the back of the head of the sword was a common feature of dao during this time."
* Tom/Rodell 2005 p77
"The saber is perhaps the most important member of the dao family. It completely replaced the double-edged jian in the military by the mid-Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) [CONTRA Ho/Bronson 2004 p110], and it has been used in virtually all systems of Chinese weapons combat until the present day. The pei dao also held a revered position in the regalia of nobility and military officialdom during the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty, which reigned from 1644-1911."
Sword
* Ho/Bronson 2004 p110
"Swords continued to be employed in Chinese warfare until well into the twentieth century. In Qianlong's day, they seem to have been the prescribed weapon for imperial guards, who judging from paintings of imperial ceremonies, were never allowed to carry bows. [CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION: Why, then, is a painting of an imperial guard with a bow shown in the same chapter?] It is not clear whether Qianlong himself received training in fencing methods as taught by the various martial arts schools, but he definitely had a strong interest in swords. A good many of those made for Qianlong himself were traditional Chinese longswords with double-edged straight blades ...."
Rosary
* 5000 years of Chinese costumes 1988 p182-183 f3
"All civil officials of 5th rank upwards and military officials of 4th rank upwards, as well as judicial officials and high-ranking imperial bodyguards, were also required to wear necklaces consisting of 108 beads threaded together. Each necklace had 3 strings of smaller bead necklaces attached to it. For men there were two strings on the left, and for women the same number on the right. There was yet another string of beads called bei yun (or 'black cloud'), which hung down the wearer's back."
* Ho/Bronson 2004 p56 f47
"A standard court necklace of the Qing period had 108 beads, three side strands, and a back strand, punctuated with semiprecious stones."
* Museo do Oriente
"Os colares de corte, ou chaozhu, baseados nos mala ('rosários' budistas), eram usados apenas pela nobreza e por oficiais imperials do quinto grau e superiores. Oseu uso for provavelmente introduzido pelo primeiro imperador da dinastia Qing, Shunzhi (1638-1661?), que era um profundo devoto do budismo."
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"The Court collars or chaozhu, based on the Buddhist rosaries (mala), were only used by the nobility and imperial officials from the fifth degree and above. Their use was most probably introduced by the first Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Shunzhi (1638-1661?) who was a deeply devout Buddhist."
Trousse
* Ho/Bronson 2004 p201 f248
"The use of personal knives at meals was a mark of Manchu identity. When eating sacrificial pork, not only men but also women were expected to cut up their own meat. Knives with other eating utensils formed part of the dowry of princesses and even maidservants."
Cup
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