xuē 薛

Xue Rengui (612–681) His given name was Li. He was from Longmen, Jiangzhou in the Tang Dynasty (now two li west of Hejin County, Shanxi Province). He was poor in his youth and made a living by farming. He was good at horseback riding and archery. During the Zhenguan period, he accompanied Emperor Taizong on the expedition to Liaodong and was invincible wherever he went. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, he repeatedly defeated the Goguryeo, Khitan, and Turks, establishing remarkable feats. He was appointed as the General of his own guard and was granted the title of Duke of Pingyang Commandery. He passed away in the second year of Yongchun, and was posthumously awarded the titles of General of the Left Xiaowei and Governor of Youzhou. Later generations compiled operas and romances based on his exploits. Xue Tao (768–831) Her courtesy name was Hongdu. She was from Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty. She was knowledgeable about music and proficient in poetry, and was a talented and famous courtesan of the era. In her later years, she lived by the Huanhua River. She could make pine - flower paper and small crimson powder - colored paper, which she used for writing poems and presenting to worthy gentlemen. People at that time called it "Xue Tao's paper". She had a collection of poems.