Xue Ying


Xue Ying, courtesy name Daoyan, was a Chinese historian, poet, and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. After the fall of Wu, he continued serving under the Jin dynasty. His ancestral home was in Zhuyi County, Pei Commandery, which is around present-day Suzhou, Anhui. He was the second son of Xue Zong, a notable official and scholar of Eastern Wu.

Service under Wu

Service under Sun Xiu

After Sun Xiu ascended the throne, he appointed Yu Si, He Shao, Wang Fan and Xue Ying as Central Regular Mounted Attendants. After a few years, Xue Ying resigned his positions due to illness.

Service under Sun Hao

Early in Sun Hao's reign, he assigned Xue Ying as Left Upholder of the Law. After an unknown period of time, Xue Ying's position was changed to Master of Writing in the Selection Bureau. After Sun Hao instated his son Sun Jin as crown prince in February or March 269, Xue Ying was made Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince, a position he held in addition to Master of Writing in the Selection Bureau.
When Sun Hao surrendered to the Jin army in 280, Xue Ying helped Sun Hao to draft the surrender documents.

Service under Jin

After Sun Hao's surrender, Xue Ying went to Luoyang. In an audience with Sima Yan, the emperor calmly asked Xue Ying, "Why did Sun Hao lose his kingdom?" Xue Ying replied, "When ruling Wu, Sun Hao was close to xiaoren and added punishments indiscriminately. He had no trusted officials or generals and everyone lived in fear. That is how he lost his kingdom." Sima Yan then continued asking about the abilities of the Wu officials who survived the invasion; Xue Ying was able to answer truthfully.