Xue Dingshan

Xue Dingshan's Western Campaign (Temple mural artwork, photographed at Dong'an Temple in Caiyuan, Penghu, Taiwan)

Xue Dingshan (Chinese: 薛丁山; pinyin: Xuē Dīngshān) is a fictional hero in Chinese folklore and historical fiction, often depicted as a valiant general of the early Tang dynasty. He is commonly portrayed as the son of famed general Xue Rengui (薛仁貴) and the husband of Fan Lihua (樊梨花), a female warrior of Xiliang. While there is limited historical evidence for his existence, Xue Dingshan appears as a prominent character in Chinese popular literature, particularly in vernacular novels, operas, and storytelling traditions.[1]

Legend and literary origins

Xue Dingshan first appeared in the mid-Ming dynasty chuanqi drama The Golden Sable (金貂记),[2] and later became the protagonist of the Qing dynasty storyteller's scripts Xue Dingshan's Western Expedition (薛丁山征西) and The Biography of Fan Lihua (樊梨花傳). These works belong to the broader gongting xiaoshuo (宮廷小說) tradition, which combines historical settings with fictional and supernatural elements.[3]

According to the novels, Xue Dingshan was born while his father, Xue Rengui, was away serving in the army. His mother, Liu Jinhua, named him after a mountain called Dingshan near their home. As a young man, Xue Dingshan believed that his father had abandoned him. He was later accidentally killed by Xue Rengui and revived by the immortal Wang Ao Laozu (王敖老祖), who took him as a disciple. When Xue Rengui was besieged at Suoyang City, Xue Dingshan was sent to rescue him and campaign against the Western tribes. During these campaigns, he married Dou Xiantong and Chen Jinding, and later met Fan Lihua.[4]

Xue Dingshan later became a general in the Tang army and campaigned against the Western Liang. During the campaign, he repeatedly fought Fan Lihua, a warrior who initially opposed the Tang forces. Fan Lihua eventually joined the Tang and sought to marry Xue Dingshan, but he rejected her several times. This became the basis of the episode known as the "Three Rejections and Three Pleas". Fan Lihua was said to have studied under the Taoist immortal Lishan Laomu and was portrayed as a skilled warrior. Xue Dingshan eventually accepted her as his wife.[5]

In the stories, Fan Lihua attempted to persuade her father, Fan Hong, to surrender to the Tang. The attempt resulted in a conflict in which she killed her father and brothers before joining the Tang forces. She continued to fight alongside Xue Dingshan in the western campaigns, where they encountered various human and supernatural opponents.[5]

Following the capture of White Tiger Pass, Xue Dingshan and Fan Lihua led the Tang forces in a campaign against the Western Barbarians. During the campaign, several of their principal opponents, including Su Baotong, the Flying Cymbal Monk, and the Iron Plaque Taoist, were killed. In recognition of their military achievements, Emperor Gaozong of Tang bestowed noble titles on members of the Xue family. Xue Dingshan was enfeoffed as the King of the Two Liaos; his first wife, Dou Xiantong, was granted the title of Lady Dingguo ("Defender of the Nation"); his second wife, Chen Jinding, received the title of Lady Baoguo ("Protector of the Nation"); and his third wife, Fan Lihua, was enfeoffed as Marquis Weining and elevated to the rank of First-Class Lady.[6]

Xue Dingshan later died after his son, Xue Gang, accidentally killed an imperial prince during the Lantern Festival. According to the legend, the incident led to the death of Emperor Gaozong and the execution of Xue Dingshan on the orders of Empress Wu Zetian.[6]

Some folktales say that Xue Dingshan and Fan Lihua were originally the Golden Boy and Jade Girl. According to these tales, the Jade Emperor became angry with them after they broke celestial utensils during the Peach Banquet and intended to punish them. The Old Man of the South Pole intervened on their behalf, but they were nevertheless sent to the mortal world. As the Jade Girl descended to the human world, she smiled at an unattractive immortal named Wuguixing (五鬼星; Five Ghost Star), who was also destined to be reincarnated. The Golden Boy was displeased by her behavior. This episode is said to explain Xue Dingshan's dislike of Fan Lihua and their three divorces. Wuguixing was later reincarnated as the Tartar general Yang Fan, who became Fan Lihua's fiancé. During the final battle, Fan Lihua killed Yang Fan, whose vengeful spirit was subsequently said to have been reincarnated as the couple's son, Xue Gang. During the Lantern Festival, Xue Gang, while drunk, accidentally killed the Seventh Prince of Tang. The incident led to the downfall and near destruction of the Xue family.[7][8]

In September 1958, during an inspection tour in Hunan, Mao Zedong attended a performance of the Xiang opera Da Yan Hui Yao (打雁回窑), staged by the Hunan Provincial Xiang Opera Troupe. The following day, Mao commented that Xue Dingshan was not mentioned in official historical records about Xue Rengui, who had one son, Xue Ne. Some scholars have consequently regarded Xue Dingshan as a fictional character based partly on historical figures such as Xue Ne and Xue Chuyu.[9]

Fan Lihua and Xue Dingshan in an opera portraying the legend.

Stories about Xue Dingshan have been widely adapted into various forms of Chinese opera, including Peking opera, Yue opera, and regional folk dramas.[10] His character is portrayed as brave, filial, and sometimes hot-tempered—contrasting with his father Xue Rengui’s calm and strategic demeanor. The legends of the Xue family have also been used in folk rituals, particularly in northern China, where they are venerated as martial gods or heroic ancestors.

The story of Xue Dingshan has served as inspiration for numerous film and television productions. Notable examples include Xue Dingshan Campaigns to the West portrayed by Felix Wong in 1986, Xue Dingshan portrayed by Chi Shuai in 2013, and Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties 4 portrayed by Ye Zuxin in 2014.

A grey clay sculpture titled Xue Dingshan's Third Visit to the Fan Family Village (薛丁山三探樊家庄) is located above the east gate tower of Wanfutai (万福台). Created by artist Bu Jinting (布锦庭) in the early Republic of China period, the sculpture measures 4.1 meters in length and 2.3 meters in width. It is a multi-layered three-dimensional relief that vividly depicts the dramatic scene of Xue Dingshan’s third attempt to approach the Fan family, a well-known episode in the popular legend.[11]

The legend of Xue Dingshan has not only enjoyed widespread popularity in China but has also exerted significant cultural influence in neighboring countries. Korean scholar Min Kwandong, in his works The Publication of Chinese Classical Novels in the Joseon Era and The Dissemination of Chinese Classical Novels in Korea, documents how the "Xue Family Generals" novels were widely circulated in ancient Korea. Additionally, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V of Siam, 1868–1910), the "Xue Family Generals" tales were translated and disseminated in Thailand through handwritten manuscripts. This evidence indicates that the "Xue Family Generals" stories had already spread beyond China’s borders by the Qing dynasty.[12][13]

References

  1. ↑ 異說後唐傳三集薛丁山征西樊梨花全傳 (in Chinese). 上海古籍出版社. 1990.
  2. ↑ Liu, Yang. The Evolution of the Xue Family Generals Story and Its Cultural Interpretation [J]. Shanxi University, June 1, 2006.
  3. ↑ 中國文化硏究所學報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 香港中文大學中國文化硏究所. 1992.
  4. ↑ 薛丁山征西 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 三民書局股份有限公司. 21 October 2020. ISBN 978-957-14-5745-1.
  5. 1 2 薛丁山征西: 挿圖本 (in Chinese). 廣智書局. 1959.
  6. 1 2 Rulian Jushi. The Xue Family Generals [M]. Harbin: Heilongjiang Fine Arts Publishing House, November 2013: Chapter 113. ISBN 978-7-5318-4243-9.
  7. ↑ Hung, Eva (1992). "Fan Lihua and Xue Dingshan: A Case Study in Battlefield Courtship" (PDF).
  8. ↑ 樊梨花招亲 (in Chinese). 中原农民出版社. 1988. ISBN 978-7-80538-032-2.
  9. ↑ Huang Bin, Zhang Chunping. Historical facts and legends of Xue Li's expedition to the east[M]. Hohhot: Yuanfang Publishing House, 2008-03: 266. 7-80595-326-0
  10. ↑ "《薛丁山》热播 吴樾真刀真枪玩转自如-新闻中心-温州网". news.66wz.com.
  11. ↑ Xiao Haiming, Wang Haina, et al. (eds.); Foshan History and Culture Series Editorial Committee (eds.). Foshan Ancestral Temple [M]. Guangzhou: Guangdong People's Publishing House, 2016-11: 99-100. 978-7-218-11364-7
  12. ↑ Mo, Chunjun. A Study on the Dissemination of the “Xue Family Generals” Story During the Qing Dynasty [J]. Sichuan Normal University, March 26, 2019.
  13. ↑ Yang, Zhaoqian. A History of Cultural Exchange Between China and Korea·South Korea, Volume 2 [M]. Beijing: Kunlun Publishing House, January 2004: p. 614. ISBN 7-80040-719-5.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.