Darhan

Dahan (1590–1644), from the Guo Luo Luo clan, was a Qing military commander. Initially, he belonged to the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner, later transferred to the Manchu Plain Blue Banner. He was the son of Yangshu, his mother was Zhange Gu, and his maternal uncle was Nurhaci. During the Taizu reign, he followed his father to defect to the Later Jin, serving as a Niu Lu Yizhen (a rank in the Eight Banners military hierarchy). He married Nurhaci’s second daughter, Nenzhe Gege, becoming her consort. In the fourth year of the Tianming era (1619), he participated with Nurhaci in conquering the Yehe tribe, and for his meritorious service in punishing Yehe Bole Jintai Sh, he was promoted to First-Class Deputy General. In the eleventh year of the Tianming era (1626), when Taizong ascended the throne, he was listed as one of the Eight Great Ministers and served as a Gushan Yizhen (Commander of the Banner). He accompanied the Prince of Da, Daisan, in leading expeditions against the Zhalute tribe, riding alone to pursue enemies, capturing Zhalute leader Taitai and reconquering the Dongkui tribe, earning further military honors and being promoted to a third-class general. In the first year of the Tiancong era (1627), during the campaign against Korea led by Prince Amine, he captured Yizhou, Dingzhou, and Anzhou. In the third year of Tiancong (1629), he participated in Emperor Taizong’s campaign against the Ming dynasty, capturing Zunhua. In the fifth year of Tiancong (1631), he fought alongside Prince Zheng Jirhala to besiege Dalinghe, Zunhua, and Jinzhou. In the sixth year of Tiancong (1632), he personally accompanied Emperor Hong Taiji in his campaign against the Chahar tribe, sweeping the territories from Ming to Xuanfu. In the eighth year of Tiancong (1634), he fought against the Chahar tribe. In the first year of Chongde (1636), he fought against the Ming dynasty and was promoted to a First-Class General. In the second year of Chongde (1637), he participated again in the Korean campaign but was punished for drunkenness and favoritism. In the sixth year of Chongde (1641), during the siege of Jinzhou, he was dismissed from his position for failing to participate in the imperial court meeting on time. Dalahán fell ill and died in the first year of the Shunzhi Emperor’s reign (1644).