Xue Ti

Xue Ti (薛悌, 173 – ?) was an official of Cao Wei during the late Eastern Han and the Three Kingdoms period of China. His courtesy name was Xiaowei (孝威), and he was a native of Dong Commandery in Yan Province.

Life

Although his family was humble, he was selected as a cong shi (從事) by Cao Cao, the governor (mu) of Yan Province.

In the first year of Xingping (194), while Cao Cao was campaigning against Xuzhou, Zhang Miao and Lü Bu and others rebelled in his rear, and the subordinate counties of Yan Province responded to them. Xue Ti, together with Zheng Yu, held the three counties of Juancheng (鄄城), Fan (范), and Dong'e (東阿) until Cao Cao returned. When Taishan Administrator Ying Shao abandoned his commandery and fled, Xue Ti, at the age of twenty-two, became his successor.

Chen Jiao visited Taishan on his way to Xu (許) at the request of Chen Deng, and became acquainted with Xue Ti. At that time Chen Jiao was merely a gongcao (功曹), but Xue Ti, disregarding rank, befriended him. Xue Ti also appointed Gao Danglong as dupu (督郵). When a dujun congshi (督軍從事) quarreled with others and carelessly called Xue Ti by his personal name,¹ Gao Danglong grasped his sword in great anger, but Xue Ti restrained him. Thus Xue Ti was broad-minded and served as a model for officials.

When Cao Cao pacified Ji Province, Xue Ti was appointed changshi (長史) together with the Wangguo (王國), and was later transferred to the post of Zhonglingjun (中令軍). Afterwards he took part in the campaign against Runxu (濡須), and after Cao Cao returned, as Hujun (護軍) he supervised Zhang Liao, Yue Jin, and Li Dian at Hefei (合肥).

Meanwhile, when Cao Cao campaigned against Hanzhong (漢中), he entrusted Xue Ti with a box containing written orders. In the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), when Sun Quan attacked Hefei, Xue Ti opened the box, and in accordance with the order that "Zhang Liao and Li Dian shall advance and fight, and Yue Jin shall hold the city together with the Hujun," he defended the city together with Yue Jin.

After the conquest of Hanzhong, Xue Ti became Administrator of Wei Commandery, succeeding Chen Jiao, who had become Shangshu (尙書). He always devoted himself fully to loyalty, was lenient in his rule, and governed in a simple and clear manner.

In the first year of Huangchu (220), the Eastern Han fell, and Emperor Wen founded Cao Wei. At this time Xue Ti, together with Wang Si (王思) and Xi Jia (郤嘉), was enfeoffed as a Guannei Marquis.

In the fifth year of Qinglong (237), he succeeded Chen Jiao as Shangshu Ling (尙書令).

Footnotes

Footnotes

1. At that time, it was taboo to speak the personal name of another person; instead, one addressed them by their courtesy name or official title, etc. ↩