Family

Ortai was originally wed to a woman of the Gūwalgiya clan, until she died. Then he married the daughter of Mai Zhu, the Minister of the Board of Punishments. Ortai then refused to take on secondary spouses despite polygamous customs of aristocratic men of his generation. They had two daughters and six sons. His fourth son Oning (鄂宁 È níng) also served as Viceroy of Yung-Gui for a short period in 1768.

His son O-rong'an succeeded him as Earl (and was honored with the prefix Xiangqin in 1749) before being killed in battle against the Dzungars in 1755. O-rong'an was posthumously honored in the Temple of Zealots of the Dynasty.

His younger son, O-shi, was also posthumously honored in the Temple of Zealots of the Dynasty after dying in battle in 1758, near Yarkand.

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Career

Early career

Ortai rose quickly through the ranks in his youth, reportedly due to his reputation for incorruptibility. In 1699, Ortai became a juren, and by 1703, he was promoted to captain of his family's Banner company. The same year, he was promoted to Senior Imperial Bodyguard of the 3rd Rank.

In 1716, he was promoted again to the Assistant Department Director of the Imperial Household. After the emperor Yongzheng ascended in 1722, Ortai served as an examiner for the Yunnan province civil service exams, and then as financial commissioner of Jiangsu province.

Governorship

His first governorship was awarded in 1724, when he was made lieutenant governor of Jiangsu province. The next year, he was appointed acting governor-general (or Viceroy) of the restive southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou, although it took some time for him to assume office, as he had to first travel to Beijing and then to the provinces.

His assignment was to stabilize the region for Qing rule. The main source of resistance came from indigenous people of Yun-Gui, the Miao. The majority of his rule was focused on quelling local resistance to Qing rule, often relying on military force. His policy, called gaitu guili 改土归流, aimed to replace local hereditary rulers with imperial bureaucrats, thereby placing the restive territories under a more firm grip of the central government. Guy has characterized Ortai's rule as a "Qing mission civilisatrice," while Elliott has said some might call Ortai ruthless.

During his time as governor, he put down several resistances, including in Guangshan (in Guizhou) in 1726, Changzhai (in Guizhou) in 1727, and Dongchuan in 1728. From 1727-1728, he dealt with local resistance in Cheli and other places in southwest Yunnan led by the Diao 刁 clan; these territories were re-organized into Pu'er prefecture. In 1727, he assisted the governor general of Sichuan in dealing with rebellions in Wumen and Zhengxiang. This territory was thereafter absorbed into Yunnan.

In reward for his efforts, he received several honors and promotions in rank. In 1727, he was promoted to minor hereditary rank of Qi duyu, and then Qingche duyu 1st Class. The following year, he was given the additional governor-generalship of Guangxi. In 1729, he was promoted again, to Baron, 3rd Class, and to Junior Guardian. Some scholars such as R. Kent Guy believe that the emperor valued Ortai's ability to represent his will in a sensitive territory, and that Ortai did not have real skill as a military leader.

After receiving this third governorship, he switched his policy and tried attracting local leaders, promising rewards for those who would submit and using force on those who resisted. Ortai dealt with more resistances in the next few years, including in Guzhou (in Guizhou) in 1729, and again in Wumeng in 1730.

Ortai has been described as a successful Qing governor by Kent and other scholars, as he took power from local leaders and placed it in the hands of the Qing. Ortai also increased the tax productive territory available to the empire via methods such as instituting mining reforms in Yunnan's salt and copper mining industries, increasing profits overall.

Promotion to Central Government

After his time as governor in the southwest, Ortai was promoted to several positions in the central government in Beijing, including: Grand Secretary, President of the Board of War, and Grand Councillor. From September 1732 – 1733, Ortai supervised military affairs in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, and the supply transport for the campaign against the Dzungars. In 1733, he advised the Yongzheng emperor to make peace with the Dzungars.

In 1735, he was promoted to Viscount. That same year, he was sent with Zhang Tingyu and three princes (including the future emperor Qianlong) to put down a rebellion at Taigong in Guizhou province. Zhang Zhao, an official charged with handling the rebellion, blamed Ortai for not having ensured a more lasting peace before he left Guizhou to take office in Beijing. Ortai took the blame for not having prevented this rebellion when he was governor general, and was demoted from hereditary rank.

Under Emperor Qianlong, he held the highest rank of his career as Earl of the 3rd Class. From 1738 until his death in 1745, he served in many important posts and was given significant responsibilities, such as directing work on the Yellow River (1739), and directing many official publications (see "Writings" below). When he was ill and on his deathbed, in 1745, the Qianlong emperor honored Ortai with the additional title of "Grand Tutor."

Posthumous Honors

Upon his death, the Qianlong emperor gave Ortai the ceremonial name Wenduan. Ortai was honored in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and in the Temple of Eminent Statesmen, though this latter honor was later retracted (see "Rivalry with Zhang Tingyu").

Relationship with Yongzheng Emperor

Ortai was a confidant and advisor to the Yongzheng emperor, and under the Yongzheng emperor, he was the second most powerful Manchu in the empire.

The two likely met when Ortai was an imperial bodyguard, and the emperor was still a prince. According to Yuan Mei, an 18th century poet, Ortai refused an order from the then-prince on the grounds that he served the emperor, and not his sons. This impressed the prince, who kept him in mind in the future for appointments.

The personal friendship and trust that Ortai enjoyed from the Yongzheng emperor allowed him greater authority as a governor. This friendship was sealed with regular gifts and even with a marriage. When the emperor's brother Prince Yi was betrothed to Ortai's cousin, the emperor wrote the governor saying he was happy that their families would be joined.

When the Yongzheng emperor was on his death bed, he ordered that upon Ortai's death (which did not happen for another ten years), he should be named in the Imperial Ancestral Temple as commendation for his service.

Rivalry with Zhang Tingyu

Zhang was a confidant and advisor to the Yongzheng emperor, like Ortai was, and he enjoyed a similar amount of power. The two were the Yongzheng emperor's closest advisors, and were even with him at his death bed. The Yongzheng emperor had named the two counselors as advisors to his son, the Qianlong emperor, during the transition period, and the Qianlong emperor kept them.

In the early part of Qianlong's reign, Ortai and Zhang and their respective political followers became embroiled in power struggles. The factions had an ethnic element to them - Ortai's was Manchu, and Zhang's Han Chinese, generally - which worried Qianlong, who noted with displeasure that "the Manchus all depend for their thinking on Ortai, the Han all on Zhang Tingyu."

In 1743, the emperor learned that Ortai had covered up corruption on the part of one of his sons. Angry, the emperor warned Ortai "I have used you in the past and I am forgiving you now, but this is hardly a guarantee that I will not punish you severely in the future!"

In 1755, ten years after Ortai's death, the Qianlong emperor launched an investigation into Ortai's follower Hu Zhongzao. Hu was accused of having written anti-Manchu poems, and having disrespected the emperor. The quarrel with Zhang and his faction featured heavily in the writings. Hu was executed, and his friend O-chang - Ortai's nephew - was forced to commit suicide for having written poems "unfavorable to the Manchus." Ortai's name was removed from the Temple of Eminent Statesmen, as punishment for promoting factionalism.

Writings and Publications

• 1725: Nanbang lixian ji 南邦黎献集, 16 juan

• 1742: Shoushi tongkao, 78 juan (illustrated treatise on agriculture)

• 1743: Yizhong jinjian, 90 + 1 juan (general treatise on medicine)

• 1745: Baqi Manzhou shizu tongpu, 80 + 2 juan (a genealogy of the Manchu clans and families)

• 1746 (posthumously): Baqi zeli 则例, 12 juan (on the laws governing Bannermen)

• 1746 (posthumously): Zhongshu zhengkao 中枢政考, 31 juan (on the laws governing the military affairs of the empire)

• San Li yishu (commentaries to the classics on ceremony)

• Baqi tongzhi (history of the Manchu Banner system)

生平

康熙十六年（1677年）出生，康熙三十八年（1699年）中举人，康熙四十二年袭封佐领，康熙五十五年任内务府员外郎。康熙末与田文镜、李卫并为雍亲王（雍正帝）心腹。雍正五年（1727年），奉命修《八旗通志》初集，凡250卷。雍正时期尝任云贵总督，兼辖广西，在云南积极推行改土归流，雍正四年（1726年）上疏「云贵大患，无如苗蛮，欲安民，必制夷，欲制夷，必改土归流」，七年设官府，置流官，驻军队，巩固了西南边疆。与田文镜、李卫并称为「模范总督」。雍正十年（1732年），任保和殿大学士兼兵部尚书，办理军机事务。雍正崩于深夜，鄂尔泰适巧为值班军机大臣，最先探视雍正遗体并安排入殓，且受遗旨与张廷玉辅政。乾隆初任总理事务，加至太保。乾隆三年，高宗欲仿古制行「三老五更」之礼，为此向鄂尔泰及张廷玉谘询。鄂尔泰倾向于赞成，而张廷玉则断以为不可。四十年以后，乾隆见张廷玉所作的《三老五更议》时，仍然感触颇深，指责鄂尔泰「因好虚荣，近于骄者」。乾隆十年（1745年）以病解职。同年三月乾隆亲往鄂尔泰住所视疾，加为太傅。不久病卒。

鄂尔泰死后，乾隆二十年三月，爆发胡中藻案，四月，鄂尔泰的得意门生胡中藻被斩杀，已故大学士鄂尔泰被撤出贤良祠，不准入祀。鄂尔泰之侄鄂昌被赐自尽。

轶事

• 鄂尔泰名言：「大事不可糊涂，小事不可不糊涂，若小事不糊涂，则大事必至糊涂矣。」张廷玉闻后称赞此言「最有味，宜静思之」。

• 鄂尔泰时任内务府员外郎时，曾拒绝了以皇子身份向鄂尔泰请托的雍正，此举不但没有得罪雍正，反而得到了雍正的赏识。

• 雍正三年（1725年）冬，鄂尔泰即将前往云南任职，雍正得知其身体不适，命令他乘坐雍正的御舆前往赴任，之后鄂尔泰恢复了健康，雍正高兴的在鄂尔泰的奏摺上批示说：「朕与卿一种君臣相得之情，并不比泛泛乃无量劫善缘之所致。」雍正五十大寿，因鄂尔泰时任云贵总督未能出席，雍正特地挑选了宴会中的食物，快马加鞭运往云南给鄂尔泰。

评价

雍正最欣赏李卫、鄂尔泰、田文镜三人，当面告诉尹继善，谓当学此三人。尹继善奏曰：「李卫，臣学其勇，不学其粗；田文镜，臣学其勤，不学其刻；鄂尔泰，宜学处多，然臣亦不学其愎。」雍正不以为忤。乾隆尝谓：「我朝百馀年来，满洲科目中，惟鄂尔泰与尹继善为真知学者。」

家庭

• 祖父：图彦突，官至户部郎中。

• 父亲：鄂拜，曾任国子祭酒。

妻妾

• 原配夫人，瓜尔佳氏。康熙五十年，生长女，夫人早逝。

• 续娶夫人，喜塔腊氏，大学士兼吏部尚书迈柱之女。康熙五十一年成婚，称迈夫人。鄂尔泰与迈夫人感情甚笃，相敬如宾，不娶妾媵，除长女外，其他子女皆迈夫人所出。

子女

• 长女：原配夫人瓜尔佳氏所出，早夭。

• 长子鄂容安，为乾隆时期两江总督。娶镶白旗满洲讷殷富察氏，原任通政使司通政使博尔多之女。

• 次子鄂实，官前锋统领，娶总督江南等处七省漕粮补熙之女补氏，补氏不久去世，他又继娶大学士高斌之女。

• 三子鄂弼，官至西安将军，娶镶黄旗满洲瓜尔佳氏，领侍卫内大臣信勇公哈达哈之女。

• 次女：续娶夫人喜塔腊氏所出，适正黄旗满洲赫舍里氏工部尚书赫奕次子侍读学士肇敏。

• 四子鄂宁，任云贵总督，娶内大臣海望之女。

• 五子鄂圻，娶庄亲王允禄之女。

• 六子鄂谟，娶迈柱之孙女。