Xitala Heerjinge

Heer Jing'e, Xitalai clan, a Manchu of the Plain White Banner, was a Qing dynasty official. His birth and death years are unknown. His political career mainly involved affairs within the imperial court’s internal affairs system. His maternal lineage also belonged to the Xitalai clan. Heer Jing'e reached high official positions such as Grand Minister of the Interior and Vice-Grand Master, making him one of the important officials within the imperial court's internal affairs and military-political system.

In 1777 (the 42nd year of Qianlong’s reign), Empress Dowager Chongqing passed away. Emperor Qianlong issued a decree appointing Hongchang, Decheng, Heer Jing'e, Liu Hao, and others to oversee the construction of the Tai Dong Mausoleum. By this time, Heer Jing'e had already held key positions within the Inner Court's administration, participating in the organization and execution of major court projects.

Heer Jing'e’s daughter married the fifteenth prince, Yongyan, who later became Emperor, changing his name to Yongyan and known as Jiaqing Emperor. In the first year of Jiaqing (1796), in the first month, Xitalai clan was formally installed as Empress, titled Empress Xiaoshu Ruir. This event marked Heer Jing'e’s further integration into the inner court’s political network and his enhanced status with the accession of Emperor Jiaqing.

In 1795, Emperor Qianlong abdicated in favor of Yongyan, who took the throne as Jiaqing Emperor, changing his name. Subsequently, Heer Jing'e’s activities centered around royal marriages and changes in court titles, demonstrating his core position within the familial network during the Jiaqing era and his influence on the subsequent imperial bloodline.

In the jiachen day of the second lunar month, Heer Jing'e was posthumously promoted to the Third-Class Merit House, recognized as a grant of noble rank according to the standard Qing dynasty customs for meritorious service and status changes. This official recognition confirmed his status within the court. Relevant records can be found in volume 1026 of "The Veritable Records of the Holy Emperor of the Great Qing in the Reign of Gaozong, with Tolerance, Sincerity, Foresight, and the Establishment of the Foundation, Writings on His Military and Filial Acts, and Sacred Virtues" and in the Biographies section of the "Draft History of Qing."

References:

- "The Veritable Records of the Holy Emperor of the Great Qing in the Reign of Gaozong, with Tolerance, Sincerity, Foresight, and the Establishment of the Foundation, Writings on His Military and Filial Acts, and Sacred Virtues," Volume 1026

- "Draft History of Qing," Biographies, Volume One