Hûrhan 扈爾漢

HÛRHAN, 扈爾漢, 1576–1623, Nov. 13, belonged to the branch of the Tunggiya 佟佳 clan which settled at Yarhû 雅爾古. His father, Hûlahû 扈喇虎, after a disagreement with other members of the clan, came to join Nurhaci [q.v.] in 1588. Hûrhan, who was then a youth of thirteen sui, was brought up by Nurhaci as one of his own sons and was later appointed a personal bodyguard. He distinguished himself in 1607 in a battle with the Ula beile, Bujantai [q.%E2%80%AFv.], while acting as convoy for the inhabitants of the town of Fio who wished to join Nurhaci's forces (see under Cuyen). Further exploits in 1610 and 1611 against the Weji 渥集 tribe won him the title Darhan (Mongol for "skilled craftsman"), and in 1615 he was appointed one of the five chief councilors with Eidu, Fiongdon, Hohori, and Anfiyanggû [qq.v.]. He played an important part in the defeat in 1619 of the armies of Yang Hao [q.v.]. Though the youngest of the councilors, he died several years before Nurhaci, leaving eight sons of whom the fourth, Junta 準塔 (d. 1647, posthumous name 襄毅), became the most famous. Junta took part in most of the campaigns under the reign of T'ai-tsung (i.e., Abahai, q.v.), and from 1644 to 1647 helped to conquer Chihli, Shantung, northern Kiangsu, and Szechwan. In 1648 he was posthumously given the rank of a viscount.

[1/231/8a; 2/4/3a; 3/261/9a; 4/3/13a; 11/1/10a; 34/156/1a.]

George A. Kennedy