Qing History through the Eyes of a Standard Bearer in the Manuscript Titled Emu tangū orin sakda-i gisun sarkiyan

This article presents a translation of the first chapter from the manuscript Emu Tangū Orin Sakda-i Gisun by the Mongol bannerman Sungyun (1752–1835), with introduction and comments. This chapter is concerned with the history of the Qing dynasty, listing the deeds of Manchu emperors, with the emphasis on the merits of the living Qianlong emperor, most of which comprise the so-called “ten military achievements”. The author intended to prove the validity of the claims of the Qing emperors to the eternal rule of their dynasty. Besides, according to both the norms of Confucian morality and the Manchu way of life, the key to the upholding of the “great peace” (taiping 太平) is the education of the younger generation of standard bearers. The result of such education would be a faithful service to the dynasty by the later generations of bannermen.