(1279–1368). About the year 1412 Monge Temur 猛哥帖木兒 (or 孟特穆 d. 1433) was acknowledged by the Ming Emperor Ch'êng-tsu (明成祖) as Chief of a subdivision, later known as the Left Branch (左衛), of the Chien-chou tribe. He is the first ancestor claimed by Nurhaci who can be identified in Chinese history. By his descendants he was given the posthumous titles, Tse-wang 澤王 in 1636, and Chao-tsu Yüan Huang-ti 肇祖原皇帝 in 1648. At first he lived east of present Hun-ch'un, Kirin, and then occupied the northeastern tip of Korea. But in 1433 he was killed in a battle with another tribe. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Fanca 凡察 who in 1436 or 1437 led his men out of Korea westward to the valley of P'o-chu chiang 婆猪江 (also known as T'ung-chia chiang 佟家江), and joined the main Chien-chou tribe under the powerful chieftain, Li-man-chu 李滿住. In 1438 both tribes moved farther west and began to settle at Hetu Ala 赫圖阿拉 (later Hsing-ching). Four years later, after a dispute between Fanca and Monge Temur's son, Cungšan 充善 (董山, 童倉, d. 1467), over the chieftainship, the latter became head of the Left Branch, and a Right Branch (右衛) was created to be led by Fanca. Gradually Li-man-chu's descendants drifted into obscurity and the Chien-chou tribe was represented only by the two branches.
By the middle of the sixteenth century, Cungšan's great-grandson, Giocangga 覺昌安 (or 教場, 叫場, posthumous titles 昌王, 景祖翼皇帝 d. 1582), lived with his five brothers near Hetu Ala. The six brothers were known as the Six Princes 六王) or ningguta beile 寧古塔貝勒. Though a chieftain himself, Giocangga was subject to the rule of the powerful chief of the Right Branch, Wang Kao 王杲 (d. 1575). The two families were further related by marriage, Giocangga's granddaughter being the wife of Wang Kao's son, Atai (阿台). According to the late Professor Mêng Sên (see under Chao I-ch'ing) Giocangga's fourth son, Taksi 塔克世 (or 他失, 塔失, d. 1582, posthumous titles 福王, 顯祖宣皇帝), was married to Wang Kao's daughter or granddaughter who gave birth to three sons, the eldest being Nurhaci. In 1574 Giocangga and Taksi secretly allied themselves with the Ming general, Li Ch'êng-liang [q. v.], to attack Wang Kao, and eight years later, Atai (see under Nikan Wailan). Doubtless they planned to advance their own fortunes. However, late in 1582, when Atai's stronghold was taken by Li, Giocangga and Taksi, then inside the fort, were both killed—the former being burnt when the fort was set afire and the latter being killed by Li's men. Thus the powerful Chien-chou chiefs were all suppressed, at least for a time.
In 1583, a few months after the death of his father and grandfather (late in 1582), Nurhaci went to Li Ch'êng-liang to demand indemnity, and was given the right to succeed his father as a minor chieftain. He was then twenty-five sui, brave and ambitious. With thirteen suits of armor he began his career at Hulan Hada, southwest of Hetu Ala. Avenging the death of his ancestors was for him the pretext for waging war on his neighbors and enemies (see under Nikan Wailan). He established his authority over his relatives and tribesmen, not sparing any who opposed him. Among them he became known as Sure Beile (Wise Prince). At this time he was submissive to Ming rule and regularly sent tribute to Peking, sometimes even going in person.
From every point of view Nurhaci's power was now rapidly expanding. In 1587 he erected a wall round his residence at Hulan Hada. There were then four strong states among the Hai-hsi Ju-chên north and northeast of Mukden, known collectively as Hulun Ssŭ Kuo 扈倫四國 and individually as Hada, Yehe, Ula, and Hoifa. In 1588 Nurhaci married a granddaughter of Wan [q. v.], chief of Hada, and later in that same year married a daughter (Empress Hsiao-tz'ŭ, see under Abahai) of Yangginu [q. v.], late chief of the Yehe. These marriages indicate the rise of his prestige which is further shown by the large number of chiefs of smaller tribes who placed themselves under his rule. In 1589 he captured some Bandits' lairs and rescued a number of kidnapped Chinese whom he delivered to the Ming authorities. For this the Ming Court conferred on him (October 1589) the rank of tu-tu ch'ien-shih 都督僉事 (junior assistant to the commander-in-chief, equivalent to a brigadier general). He was proud of this honor, and in 1590 led more than a hundred Ju-chên tribal chiefs to carry tribute to Peking—the group being entertained there on June 1.
In 1591 Narimbulu [q. v.], chief of the Yehe, and brother-in-law of Nurhaci, demanded that Nurhaci cede certain lands to the Yehe. When Nurhaci refused, the Yehe, the Hada, and the Hoifa sent a joint demand to intimidate him and pillaged some of his villages. In 1593 Narimbulu assembled an allied army from the
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