Background and career under Emperors Daizong, Dezong, and Shunzong

Xue Ping was born in 753, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. When he was 11, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong's grandson Emperor Daizong, he was made the prefect of Ci Prefecture (磁州, in modern Handan, Hebei), one of the prefectures then under the rule of his father Xue Song, the military governor (Jiedushi) of Zhaoyi Circuit, a former general of the rebel Yan state of the Anshi Rebellion who submitted to Tang Dynasty rule in the aftermaths of Yan's collapse but who thereafter ruled Zhaoyi Circuit semi-independently from the imperial government.

When Xue Song died in 773, the soldiers demanded that Xue Ping inherit the command of the circuit. Xue Ping initially pretended to agree, but then yielded the command to his uncle Xue E and, in the middle of the night, took his father's casket and fled back to his father's ancestral home of Jiang Prefecture (绛州, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). Xue E subsequently was unable to stand against the attacks by the neighboring warlord Tian Chengsi the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan) and forced to flee; part of Zhaoyi Circuit was merged into Weibo Circuit and part was merged with the imperially-controlled Zelu Circuit (泽潞, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), with the newly constituted circuit still named Zhaoyi. Meanwhile, after Xue Ping completed his period of mourning for his father, Emperor Daizong made him a general of the imperial guards — where he stayed for over 30 years.

Career under Emperors Xianzong and Muzong

Later, during the reign of Emperor Daizong's great-grandson Emperor Xianzong, the chancellor Du Huangchang believed that Xue Ping was talented and recommended him to be the prefect of Ru Prefecture (汝州, in modern Pingdingshan, Henan), and Xue governed with distinction. By 812, Xue was referred to as a major general of the imperial guards, when he was made the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (义成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan) in the aftermaths of the death of the warlord Tian Ji'an (Tian Chengsi's grandson) the military governor of Weibo, as part of the imperial maneuvering to try to control Weibo. (Subsequently, Tian Ji'an's relative Tian Xing (who was later renamed Tian Hongzheng) seized control of Weibo from Tian Ji'an's son Tian Huaijian and submitted to the imperial government.)

While Xue Ping was at Yicheng, he dealt with the issue of Yellow River flooding his circuit — as Yicheng's capital Hua Prefecture (滑州) was just two li (about one kilometer) away from the Yellow River and often suffered from catastrophic floods. Xue Ping conducted surveys and found traces of the old Yellow River bed. After a joint petition he made with Tian Hongzheng (who became the military governor of Weibo), they dug into the old river route for 14 li (about seven kilometers) to divert some of the water from then-route of the Yellow River, and thus decreasing the threat of flooding for Yicheng. Xue was at Yicheng for six years before being recalled to again serve as a general of the imperial guards, but was soon sent back to Yicheng to again serve as military governor.

In 819, after Emperor Xianzong destroyed the warlord Li Shidao, who ruled Pinglu Circuit (平卢, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong), Emperor Xianzong divided Pinglu into three circuits, with the circuit that kept the Pinglu name having its headquarters moved to Qing Prefecture (青州, in modern Weifang, Shandong). He made Xue the military governor of Pinglu, as well as the official in charge of relations with Silla and Balhae. (It was because Xue was familiar with the customs of the region north of the Yellow River and his faithfulness to the imperial government that, when, in 821, by which time Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong was emperor, Liu Zong the military governor of Lulong Circuit (卢龙, headquartered in modern Beijing), which had also long been ruled independently from the imperial government, surrendered Lulong to imperial control, Liu recommended dividing Lulong into three circuits with Xue, the former chancellor Zhang Hongjing, and the official Lu Shimei (卢士玫) taking the commands of the three circuits, although Liu's recommendations were not heeded, and the command of Lulong was given to Zhang with only a small portion carved out and given to Lu.)

Later in 821, the Lulong soldiers rebelled against Zhang and arrested him, and soon thereafter, the Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) soldiers also rebelled and killed Tian (who had been transferred to Chengde). In the aftermaths, the imperial government waged an ultimately unsuccessful campaign against Lulong and Chengde, and during the campaign, the rebels threatened Di Prefecture (棣州, in modern Binzhou, Shandong) of Pinglu's neighboring Henghai Circuit (横海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei). Xue sent his officer Li Shuzuo (李叔佐) to help defend Di Prefecture, but when Wang Ji (王稷) the prefect of Di Prefecture did not supply the Pinglu soldiers to their satisfaction, the soldiers mutinied and supported the officer Ma Tingfu as their leader and returned to Qing Prefecture to attack it. At that time, Qing Prefecture had few troops and could not defend against the attack, but Xue expended both the circuit treasury and his own wealth to hire some 2,000 soldiers, and with these soldiers he defeated and killed Ma. As a result, Emperor Muzong gave Xue the honorary title of You Pushe (右仆射) and created him the Duke of Wei.

Career under Emperors Jingzong and Wenzong

Xue Ping remained at Pinglu for six years, and it was said that he prepared the troops well and taxed in a fair manner. When, in 825, during the reign of Emperor Muzong's son Emperor Jingzong, Xue was set to go to the capital Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Jingzong and remain there, the residents were said to be so saddened that they tried to block his way to stop him from leaving. When he arrived at Chang'an, he was briefly made the minister of census (户部尚书, Hubu Shangshu) and acting Zuo Pushe (左仆射), one of the heads of the executive bureau of government (尚书省, Shangshu Sheng). In a month, however, he was commissioned as the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng) and acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies). In 828, after two prefectures were added to his circuit, he was further made acting Situ (司徒, also one of the Three Excellencies); his title was also changed to Duke of Han. He was recalled in 830 to serve as senior advisor to the Crown Prince. He requested retirement in 831 and was allowed to do so. He died in 832 and was given posthumous honors.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 124.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 111.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 224, 238, 241, 242.

家族

薛平出生于武将世家。曾祖父即大名鼎鼎的薛礼薛仁贵。薛仁贵从唐太宗征讨高句丽，又在高宗朝立功无数，最后大破后突厥阿史德元珍，封平阳郡公，以勇猛著称于世。从祖薛讷，唐玄宗时期的名将，曾大破吐蕃军，复封平阳郡公。祖父薛楚玉，曾官至范阳节度使。父亲薛嵩，早年跟随安史叛军，后来归唐，封平阳郡王。薛平的儿子薛从，官至左领军卫上将军，也是一时之重臣名将。

薛平八子：薛广。薛文范。薛文度，监察御史里行。薛湘，初名俭，许州司士参军。薛宜僚，家丞令。薛从字顺之，左领军将军、河东县子。薛廉，虢州司法参军。薛勤。

生平

十二岁时，以父亲的缘故，官拜磁州（今河北磁县）刺史。唐代宗大历八年（773年）正月，薛嵩逝世，昭义军内部军吏想要拥立十七岁的薛平继承父亲官位，薛平假装同意，实际却将官位让给了叔父薛㟧。丧期满后，授右卫将军，宿卫三十年。宰相杜黄裳擢升其为汝州刺史、御史中丞，「理有能名」「治有风绩」。唐元和七年（812年），朝廷对淮西用兵，薛平以左龙武大将军兼受御史大夫、滑州刺史、郑滑节度观察使，作战累有战功。

滑州（今河南滑县）往西，距离黄河仅二里路程，每年都常常遭受水患。薛平访问探查得知古河道，与魏博节度使田弘正同时上书，开通南北长十四里的古河，掘开旧河分摊河水，自此滑州人再无水患。在镇六年，入朝为左金吾卫大将军。不久又官拜郑华节度观察使。唐朝平定李师道，政府以东平十二州为三道，将淄州、青州、齐州、登州、莱州等五州为平卢军，以薛平为平卢军节度使、观察使等，「仍押新罗、渤海两蕃使」。

长庆元年（821年），幽镇叛，杜叔良统帅横海军讨伐，未能取胜。棣州（今山东惠民东南）又遭受叛军围困，唐朝廷命薛平帅偏师援救棣州，于是薛平派遣将军李叔佐领兵救援。几个月后，棣州刺史王稷供给士兵的粮食等减少，士卒多有怨言，李叔佐不能制止，当晚兵败而归。叛乱士卒共推「突将」马狼儿为统帅。沿途劫掠屯镇，兵力达到七千馀人，紧逼青州城（今山东益都）。形势危急之下，薛平尽出府库及家中资财，招募精兵二千，大破敌军。加封右仆射，进封魏国公，威名远扬。

薛平在镇六年，「兵甲完利，井赋均一」，以至于入朝时，百姓「遮道乞留」，好几日后才出去。宝历元年，回朝后进封检校左仆射，兼任户部尚书。一个月后又检校司空，兼任河中绛隰节度观察等使。大和二年，将晋州、慈州归于河中管辖之下。加拜薛平为检校司徒。薛平在河中六年，后拜为太子太保。第二年以司徒的官职结束为官生涯。一年后（即开成元年，公元836年）逝世，年八十岁，追赠太傅。

注释

参考书目

• 《旧唐书》列传第七十四

• 《新唐书》列传第三十六