Ortai

Ortai was originally wed to a woman of the Gūwalgiya clan, until she died. Then he married the daughter of Maizhu (邁柱), the Minister of the Board of Civil Offices. Ortai then refused to take on secondary spouses despite polygamous customs of aristocratic men of his generation. They had two daughters and six sons. His fourth son Oning (O-ning, ) also served as Viceroy of Yung-Gui for a short period in 1768. His son Oyonggo (, O-rong'an) succeeded him as Earl (and was honored with the prefix Xiangqin in 1749) before being killed in battle against the Dzungars in 1755. Oyonggo was posthumously honored in the Temple of Zealots of the Dynasty. His younger son, O-shi (鄂實), was also posthumously honored in the Temple of Zealots of the Dynasty after dying in battle in 1758, near Yarkand. == Career ==

Early career Ortai rose quickly through the ranks in his youth, reportedly due to his reputation for incorruptibility. In 1699, Ortai became a juren, and by 1703, he was promoted to captain of his family's Banner company. The next year, he was appointed acting governor-general (or Viceroy) of the restive southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou, although it took some time for him to assume office, as he had to first travel to Beijing and then to the provinces. The majority of his rule was focused on quelling local resistance to Qing rule, often relying on military force. Guy has characterized Ortai's rule as a "Qing mission civilisatrice," while Elliott has said some might call Ortai ruthless. During his time as governor, he put down several resistances, including in Guangshan (in Guizhou) in 1726, Changzhai (in Guizhou) in 1727, and Dongchuan in 1728. From 1727 to 1728, he dealt with local resistance in Cheli and other places in southwest Yunnan led by the Diao 刁 clan; these territories were re-organized into Pu'er prefecture. After receiving this third governorship, he switched his policy and tried attracting local leaders, promising rewards for those who would submit and using force on those who resisted. Ortai took the blame for not having prevented this rebellion when he was governor general, and was demoted from hereditary rank. Under the Qianlong Emperor, he held the highest rank of his career as Earl of the 3rd Class. From 1738 until his death in 1745, he served in many important posts and was given significant responsibilities, such as directing work on the Yellow River (1739), and directing many official publications (see "Writings" below). When he was ill and on his deathbed, in 1745, the Qianlong Emperor honored Ortai with the additional title of "Grand Tutor." Posthumous Honors Upon his death, the Qianlong emperor gave Ortai the ceremonial name Wenduan. Ortai was honored in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and in the Temple of Eminent Statesmen, though this latter honor was later retracted (see "Rivalry with Zhang Tingyu"). == Relationship with Yongzheng Emperor ==

Ortai was a confidant and advisor to the Yongzheng emperor, and under the Yongzheng emperor, he was the second most powerful Manchu in the empire. This friendship was sealed with regular gifts and even with a marriage. When the emperor's brother Prince Yi was betrothed to Ortai's cousin, the emperor wrote the governor saying he was happy that their families would be joined. When the Yongzheng emperor was on his death bed, he ordered that upon Ortai's death (which did not happen for another ten years), he should be named in the Imperial Ancestral Temple as commendation for his service. == Rivalry with Zhang Tingyu ==

Zhang was a confidant and advisor to the Yongzheng emperor, like Ortai was, and he enjoyed a similar amount of power. In the early part of Qianlong's reign, Ortai and Zhang and their respective political followers became embroiled in power struggles. In 1743, the emperor learned that Ortai had covered up corruption on the part of one of his sons. Angry, the emperor warned Ortai "I have used you in the past and I am forgiving you now, but this is hardly a guarantee that I will not punish you severely in the future!" In 1755, ten years after Ortai's death, the Qianlong emperor launched an investigation into Ortai's follower Hu Zhongzao. Hu was accused of having written anti-Manchu poems, and having disrespected the emperor. The quarrel with Zhang and his faction featured heavily in the writings. Hu was executed, and his friend O-chang - Ortai's nephew - was forced to commit suicide for having written poems "unfavorable to the Manchus." Ortai's name was removed from the Temple of Eminent Statesmen, as punishment for promoting factionalism. == Writings and Publications ==

Source: • 1725: Nanbang lixian ji 南邦黎献集, 16 juan • 1742: Shoushi tongkao, 78 juan (illustrated treatise on agriculture) • 1743: Yizhong jinjian, 90 + 1 juan (general treatise on medicine) • 1745: Baqi Manzhou shizu tongpu, 80 + 2 juan (a genealogy of the Manchu clans and families) • 1746 (posthumously): Baqi zeli 则例, 12 juan (on the laws governing Bannermen) • 1746 (posthumously): Zhongshu zhengkao 中枢政考, 31 juan (on the laws governing the military affairs of the empire) • San Li yishu (commentaries to the classics on ceremony) • Baqi tongzhi (history of the Manchu Banner system) == References ==