Ebilun

Ebilun (Manchu: ᡝᠪᡳᠯᡠᠨ; Chinese: 遏必隆; pinyin: Èbìlóng) died in 1673. He was a Manchu noble and warrior belonging to the Niohuru clan, which resided north of the Korean border and was part of the Bordered Yellow Banner. Ebilun was the youngest of sixteen sons of Eidu (1562–1621), a close associate of Nurhaci, the Manchu patriarch. His mother was either a sister or a cousin of Nurhaci, according to different sources.

In 1634, Emperor Hong Taiji (reigned 1626–1643) posthumously granted Eidu the rank of viscount, a title Ebilun inherited. However, this title was revoked in 1637 following Ebilun’s interference in a trial involving his niece. In 1643, Ebilun accompanied Nurhaci’s seventh son, Abatai, on military campaigns in North China and contributed to the capture of several towns. Following the Qing conquest of the Ming dynasty and the establishment of Beijing as the capital, Ebilun served under Lekedehun during military campaigns against Ming loyalist He Tengjiao in Hubei in 1645 and 1646, earning a minor hereditary rank.

Ebilun’s loyalty was viewed with suspicion due to his belonging to the Yellow Banner and Dorgon’s dominance, who led the White Banner. In 1648, during the persecution of Hooge, Ebilun was accused by his nephew of opposing Dorgon in the 1643 succession. He was sentenced to death, although the penalty was commuted. He lost half of his property and his minor nobility title was revoked. After Dorgon’s death, the Shunzhi Emperor reinstated Ebilun’s titles.

In 1661, the Kangxi Emperor ascended the throne at age seven. Ebilun was appointed as one of the Four Regents responsible for assisting the young emperor’s rule from 1661 to 1667. The regency position ranked him third, after Sonin and Suksaha, before Oboi. In practice, Ebilun largely followed Oboi’s lead, as Oboi’s influence increased. Ebilun participated in the removal of Suksaha, contributing to the consolidation of Oboi’s power as the de facto ruler after Sonin’s death. In 1667, once the Kangxi Emperor took personal control of governance, Ebilun was granted the title of a first-class duke.

In 1669, Giyesu memorialized the emperor, listing 21 alleged crimes committed by Ebilun shortly after Oboi's fall. Ebilun was sentenced to death, but the sentence was later commuted, and he retained his noble title, which remained inheritable by his descendants.

Ebilun belonged to the Eidu line of the Niohuru clan, many members of which served prominently in the Qing imperial administration. He had five sons and several daughters. His eldest son, Faka, inherited his ducal title in 1667 but later lost it. His sixth son, Yende, served as an official under the Yongzheng Emperor (reigned 1722–1735), and Yende’s son, Tsereng, served as Viceroy of Huguang. Another grandson, Necin, was a member of the Qianlong Emperor's Grand Council.

Three of Ebilun’s daughters became imperial consorts of the Kangxi Emperor, with one, Lady Niohuru, serving as his empress consort. His seventh son, Alingga, was involved in the succession conflicts among Kangxi's sons.

Ebilun’s parents were Eidu and Princess Mukushen, the fourth daughter of Nurhaci. His spouses included women from the Aisin-Gioro and Bayara clans, and he fathered children with multiple consorts and concubines.