[2] He was an eminent Manchu[3] official from the Sirin Gioro clan, belonging to the Bordered Blue Banner, during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911).

[2] Ortai governed the southwestern region of the Qing empire, Yun-Gui (modern day Yunnan and Guizhou), from around 1726–1731, and was responsible for putting down several Miao uprisings.

[citation needed] His fourth son Oning (O-ning, Chinese: 鄂寧; pinyin: Èníng) also served as Viceroy of Yung-Gui for a short period in 1768.

[6] His son Oyonggo (Chinese: 鄂容安,[7] 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.

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

From 1727 to 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.

[14] 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.

[2] From September 1732 – 1733, Ortai supervised military affairs in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, and the supply transport for the campaign against the Dzungars.

[2] That same year, he was sent with Zhang Tingyu and three princes (including the future Qianlong eEperor) 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.

[4] 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.

[4] The personal friendship and trust that Ortai enjoyed from the Yongzheng emperor allowed him greater authority as a governor.

[18] In the early part of Qianlong's reign, Ortai and Zhang and their respective political followers became embroiled in power struggles.

[2] Hu was executed, and his friend O-chang - Ortai's nephew - was forced to commit suicide for having written poems "unfavorable to the Manchus.