生平

國內仕途

同治四年因上萬言書得曾國藩賞識，入其幕府。同治六年（西元1867年）江南鄉試副榜出身。任寧紹台道五年，光緒十四年（西元1888年）升湖南按察使但未到任。

外交官生涯

1889年5月，因出使英國、法國、意大利、比利時四國公使的劉瑞芬三年任滿，清廷對薛福成賞二品頂戴，以三品京堂候補的身份擔任出使英、法、意、比四國大臣。

1890年1月31日，在「起航」的命令下，輪船載著以薛福成為首的外交使團揚帆起航。經過1個多月的海上顛簸，薛福成為首的外交使團終于在光緒十六年二月十六日（1890年3月6日）到達法國馬賽港，薛福成舍舟登陸，首次踏上歐洲大陸，實現了盼望已久的睜眼看世界的夙願。薛福成走馬上任的第一件例行公事，是向所在國的元首遞交國書，拜會外交部和各國公使。

薛福成按照程序，先後奔波于法、英、比、意諸國，薛福成不卑不亢，舉止不凡，各國都表示熱烈歡迎，期間，他還到過德國、瑞士等國。薛福成在歐洲各國出席酒宴茶會，聽樂觀舞，參觀訪問，觀光遊歷，同西方各界知名人士密切交往，廣泛接觸，西方的物質文明和精神文明大大開闊了他的視野。他集中精力考察歐洲的社會得失，通過對議院、工廠的考察，他悟出一個道理：歐美國家之所以先進，中國之所以落後，其要本在于制度的不同。 這比他本人在《籌洋芻議》中抒發的識見，大大提高了一步，這時的薛福成已名副其實地成為早期改良思想家。

在形勢一片大好中，薛福成自然想到了更多，那就是保護僑胞。薛福成在出使期間，十分關心保護海外僑胞，力爭在華僑集中的地區設立領事館，就近保護，使僑胞在海外少受欺凌和奴役。他起草了給英國外交部的照會，援引國際公法和各國慣例，聲明中國有權派遣領事分駐英國屬地。

薛福成指出：中國恪守國際公法 ，已允許英國在中國設立了20多處領事館。根據1869年10月23日中英之間的新定條約，有英國允許中國可派官員駐紮英國及英國屬地各口的條款。因此，中國應有權同歐美各國一樣派領事公駐英國各地屬地。後來，英國不得不在原則上同意薛福成的合理要求。

在同英國交涉此事的同時，薛福成又向朝廷上了一道《通籌南洋各島設立領事保護僑民疏》，他在奏疏中向朝廷匯報了海外僑胞在世界各地的分布，以及倍受欺凌剝削的狀況，申訴了在各地設立領事館的必要性和迫切性。在薛福成的努力下，1891年秋天，由薛福成推薦，黃遵憲擔任駐新加坡總領事，同時清政府也頒布了幾條保護歸僑的規定，對于海外華僑，不管出洋已經多久，只要願意回國謀生置業，一律與內地人民同等看待，絕不允許任何人加以刁難或歧視。

後來，薛福成又爭取到在南洋之檳榔嶼設立副領事，以及在緬甸的仰光設立領事館的權利。領事館和領事的設置，終于改變了海外僑胞孤苦飄零、控訴無門的悲慘狀況，終于實現了僑胞們「樹高千丈、葉落歸根」的宿願。在此之中，必然會有些不順。薛福成在出使期間辦的另一件大事是進行滇緬邊境界務和商務的談判。

1890年6月，薛福成在倫敦的中國駐英使館打開一疊5年前的卷宗，立即被其中的內容深深吸引了。那是1885年，英國軍隊侵占緬甸全境，將緬甸成為其殖民地。有雲南省（簡稱滇）與緬甸接鄰的中國當然不能不有所表示。于是當時駐英、法大臣曾紀澤便奉命與英國外交部交涉。在交涉中：一是不會侵占靠近中國國境的緬甸地區；二是讓滇緬邊境上的大金沙江作為兩國均可行船的公用之江；三是讓中國在大金沙江西的八募附近立商埠、設稅關。曾紀澤考慮到自己並不確切了解滇緬邊境的情勢，因此表示須待了解情況後再定。然而到了1886年，英國駐華公使在北京與清廷總理衙門正式簽訂的中英緬甸條約中沒有將英方對曾紀澤的三點表示列入條約。薛福成對這卷宗分析後認為，英國這樣做，是想否認過去的三條協議，以便為它以後進一步侵入中國內地劃分滇緬邊界埋下伏筆，如果這樣，後果嚴重。薛福成為此照會英國外交部，重申5年前中英雙方的三條協議，並要求英國真正履行它在中英緬甸條約中每隔十年英國駐緬甸最大的官員要派人向中國朝貢的條款，如期向中國朝貢。到1891年3月，薛福成正式向朝廷上疏，建議由中國主動提出滇緬界務、商務的談判，以免等到英國採取進一步行動後強行談判時受到嚴重的侵害，並自薦擔任中方代表。然而清廷在一開始未予重視，直到1892年初，在薛福成一再陳說利害後才答覆同意。但是怎樣才能使英國同意進行談判呢？薛福成掌握了英國在緬甸的工商業家急于同中國通商的心理，便在同英國外交大臣的兩次會商中指出，若不劃定邊界，滇緬之間的商務斷難開辦。這樣，英國外交部為了商業利益，只能改變拖延劃界的策略，同意進行劃界談判。

1892年2月下旬，英國將一份劃界的備忘錄送到了中國使館，這個備忘錄完全否認三條協議，甚至要將整個中緬界線劃中國境內，薛福成在談判中，從援引國際公法入手，認為大金沙江兩岸綿延數千里的野人山，是片「不緬不華」的中間地帶，按照國際公法，便應由兩國平均分配，中緬邊界應如三條協議中表明的以大金沙江為界。

經過2年的反覆談判。在1894年3月1日薛福成終于代表中國與英國簽訂了《續議滇緬界務、商務條款》。半個世紀以來的中英交涉，大都是以簽訂不平等條約而結束，而這次談判簽約，薛福成卻以國際公法為依據，既堅韌又靈活，使西洋最強的國家被迫承認中國的合法要求，真是中國辦理外交以來的空前成功，光緒皇帝也因而褒獎說：「薛某辦事甚好。」

去世

在57歲時，《續議滇緬界務、商務條款》簽訂不久，薛福成任職期滿，1894年5月25日 晚，他離開巴黎，徑往馬賽，登上了歸國的輪船。7月1日傍晚終于抵達上海。由于薛福成本來就疾病纏身，一路上又飽受紅海的酷熱和閩洋颱風之苦，弄得困頓不堪，所以一到上海就纏綿病榻，7月20日，他忽然感染了流行性疫病，如同雪上加霜，深夜便猝然與世長辭，終年57歲。

身後

當時，正值國家多難之秋，甲午中日戰爭已經開始打響，正需人才的時候卻驟失一位棟梁之材，不禁使許多憂國憂民之士十分傷感。20多天後，上海各界人士為薛福成舉行了很有聲勢的出殯儀式，來表示對這位思想家、外交家的哀悼之情。出殯儀式結束後，家人扶著薛福成的靈柩，返回無錫，當年11月間，薛福成安葬在了他的家鄉－－太湖之濱的軍帳山麓。

家庭

其父薛湘是道光二十五年（西元1845年）進士，曾任湖南安福、新寧縣知縣。其母顧氏出身無錫望族，生六子，薛福成在六個兒子中排行第三，有一個姊姊。大哥薛福辰，咸豐五年（西元1855年）舉人，於光緒元年與徐建寅共同創辦山東機器局，亦精醫術，曾治好慈禧太后的病。二哥薛福同，同治六年（西元1867年）舉人。四弟薛福保，廩生出身，曾任山東巡撫閻敬銘、丁寶楨幕府。五弟薛福礽，六弟薛福庚，事蹟不詳。

有子薛南溟，孫薛觀瀾（薛匯東）是袁世凱的女婿。

著作

薛福成在1879年寫出《籌洋芻議》。這部著作約2萬字， 分為《約章》、《邊防》、《鄰交》、《利器》、《敵情》、《藩邦》、《商政》、《船政》、《礦政》、《利權》（一、二、三）。

薛福成出使四國的日記出版為《出使英法義比四國日記》、《出使日記續刻》，後來譯成英文。其著作搜集成《庸庵全集》。光緒二十二年，國史館奉詔為其立傳，他出使的奏疏出版為《庸庵海外文編》、《出使奏疏》。

沉船事件

薛福成的《庸庵筆記》詳細記載了1890年上海輪失火，提供了重要史料。該船在江蘇儀徵縣火災，15分鐘的火災，死了超過三百人，而船上剛從鎮江碼頭上了100餘人。死者不是燒死則為溺死。當時狂風，又值冬天凌晨，江水甚冷。

Lineage and Life

The Xue family had been in Wuxi since the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the first ancestor moving to Wuxi being a veteran of the Chinese-Annam War (Ming–Hồ War of 1406-1407), and General of the Nanjing Imperial Capital Guards known as 「Running Tigers」. Xue's great grandfather was a scholar that died young. His grandfather passed the local civil service exam but did not achieve higher success. His father Xue Xiang was a notable writer and essayist and after passing the provincial civil service exam, became a teacher in the government academy at Zhenjiang. Xue Xiang's unique prose style was admired and imitated by many. In 1845, Xue Xiang passed the national civil service exam with the title of 「Jinshi」 or 「Advanced Scholar」, and became a Professor. Later he was promoted to the post of Anfu County Commissioner in Hunan Province. In Anfu, Xue Xiang organized the local militia that fought and defeated bands of invading Taiping rebels, and also led the militia in defense of two other local counties against the rebels. As a result, he was promoted to be Governor of Xunzhou in Guangxi province (home province of the Taiping rebels), but died in 1858 before he was able to take up the new assignment.

Xue Fucheng was the third of six surviving sons and had one older sister. His mother and grandmother were both from the prominent literati Gu (顾) family of Wuxi, of which other notable members include scientist and polymath Y. H. Ku.

Xue Fucheng started school at age 6, his first teacher being his 80 year old plus maternal great uncle Mr. Gu. Later in life, he would write about how he and his siblings studied late into the night under the tutelage and supervision of his mother. In 1858, aged 20, Xue and a younger brother both passed the local civil service exam. During that same year, he and his older brother went to visit their ailing father in Hunan. After Xue Xiang died, the two brothers spent over a year settling their father's affairs and remaining bureaucratic duties. In the spring of 1860, the two brothers hurriedly traveled back to Wuxi when they heard of the Taiping rebels』 invasion of their hometown but was unable to locate their mother and siblings who had fled Wuxi. To their dismay, the brothers found that an uncle, aunt and numerous cousins were killed or committed suicide to avoid capture by the Taiping rebels. The family home was burnt and destroyed. The Taiping rebels took Xue's older brother into custody, but unaware of his true identity as a Qing official's son, released him in due course. Travelling incognito and with great trepidations through Taiping held territory, the brothers crossed the Yangtze River and eventually located their mother and siblings to the north in the town of Baoying near the city of Yangzhou. In this same year of 1860, the British and French Army invaded Beijing and burned down the Summer Palace. The Emperor escaped from the capital but the Qing government was forced to sign another unequal treaty to appease the Western powers. Xue Fucheng remained in Baoying and continued his studies but the crisis in government motivated him to study pragmatic and concrete ways to reform the weak and corrupt Qing government.

In the summer of 1865, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, Zeng Guofan travelled north to put down the Nian Rebel Army. On his way north, he published recruitment notices for talented men to join him. While Zeng's boat was moored at a point near Baoying, Xue Fucheng, aged 27, braved a downpour in a rainstorm to submit his proposals to Zeng on June 28, 1865. The ten thousand words』 「Memorial to Marquis Zeng」 detailed eight proposals to reform the government. Zeng was impressed and asked Xue to join his cabinet. For the next 7 years working under Zeng, Xue was exposed to the practical workings of government in both military and civil affairs. Both Zeng and Xue were aficionados of the strategic game of Go, and often started the day with an early morning game.

In 1872, Zeng Guofan died suddenly at age 61. Having lost his mentor, Xue Fucheng took up a new post at Suzhou Publishing House as an editor of the histories of the Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties (all foreign dynasties that had invaded and occupied China in the past). He also wrote and published stories about ghosts and the supernatural as well as anecdotes of curious local events and folklores that he had heard or read about in his childhood. These are collected in 「Jottings from a Commonplace Hut」 and showed a different side of his personality.

In 1875, the new Guangxu Emperor passed down an edict requesting learned men to submit their proposals for improvement to the government. Xue, aged 37, submitted his proposal (with help from Governor Ding Baozhen, employer of his younger brother) – advocating focus on diplomacy and knowledge of international laws in negotiation, establishing civil service exams to test candidates on knowledge of the Western world, sending scholars for further studies abroad, building and developing a modern navy. The court took notice of his recommendations and soon adopted measures to execute his proposals. The court also circulated his proposals as must-read materials for officialdom. He became an overnight sensation in government circles and many high officials proposed that he should be appointed to a diplomatic assignment overseas. The powerful Governor of Zhili Province (Beijing is located in Zhili Province), Li Hongzhang, recruited Xue into his cabinet.

In the latter half of 1875, during the domestic crisis caused by the Margary Affair, when British authorities put pressure on the Qing government for the murder of a junior British diplomat, Augustus Margary, during a trip to explore trade routes between British India and China's provinces, Xue Fucheng acted as advisor for Li Hongzhang in his negotiations with Britain. The crisis was resolved in 1876 with the signing of the Chefoo Convention.

In 1879, Manchu Prince Gong, head of the Zongli Yamen, China's equivalent of the Foreign Office, agreed to give over control and defense of China's coast to Robert Hart, then Inspector-General of China's Imperial Maritime Custom Service (IMCS). Xue advised Li Hongzhang on the serious consequences that could ensue if defense of China's coast rested in foreign hands. Following Xue's advice, Li Hongzhang asked Hart to resign his current post as Inspector-General in order to take up the new post, and as anticipated by Xue, Hart chose to retain his more lucrative assignment in the Custom Service.

In 1881, Xue put forward his proposal for a modernized Chinese navy, and Li Hongzhang adopted many of his ideas in the implementation of the Beiyang Navy.

In July 1882, in what was known as the Imo Incident in Joseon Korea, then still a traditional Chinese protectorate, units of the Korean military revolted in Seoul. In part, the flare-up of violence may have been caused by provocative policies and conduct by Japanese military advisors training the new Special Skills Force. Xue advised Li to take quick action to put down the rebellion. The Chinese dispatched Beiyang Naval Units under the command of Ding Ruchang to Joeson to assess the evolving situation. Chinese troops effectively quelled the rebellion. The pro-Japanese Regent Daewongun, accused of fomenting the disturbance and its violence, was arrested by Chinese troops and taken to China where he spent three years in custody and only returned to Korea in 1885. The incident was regarded by the Chinese as a Japanese plot to assert control over Korea. Xue received a promotion because of his advice to take quick action in putting down the rebellion.

In early summer of 1884, Xue was appointed governor of Ningbo and Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province, a strategic coastal area that came under attack by French warships during the Sino French War (1884-1885). His predecessor in the post had died suddenly under mysterious circumstances. Xue had to resolve internal dissensions in strategy between local civil and military authority. Xue ordered the Battle of Zhenhai to be mined, moved cannons to better-camouflaged locations, and ensured that the French could not recruit locals who knew how to navigate the coastal terrain. With his intimate knowledge of treaty terms, he reminded the British on their required neutrality. Consequently, in February 1885, under diplomatic pressure from China, Britain invoked provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 and closed Hong Kong and other Far Eastern ports to French warships. In the ensuing conflict, several French warships were sunk in Zhenhai Bay and Admiral Courbet of the French fleet was wounded and died of his injuries soon afterwards.

During his tenure in Ningbo, Xue Fucheng donated his annual salary for the restoration of Tianyi Ge, the oldest existing library in China originally built in the Ming Dynasty but which had fallen into disrepair. He undertook the supervisory work of cataloging the antique books in the library.

In fall of 1888, Xue was promoted to Ancha Shi (a position equivalent to an Attorney General) in Hunan Province. However, during a visit to the capital in the spring of 1889, he was reassigned as Imperial Envoy to the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Belgium.

During his tenure in Europe (1890 -1894), Xue visited many European countries in order to understand the impact of industrial development and how different European political systems impacted military power, education, law and finance. He came to the conclusion that Europe was significantly in advance of China and China can only modernize by adopting Western technology and systems. The account of his thoughts and experiences in Europe is in his "Diplomatic Journal of Four Countries". While in Europe, he wrote a letter home to his son and stipulated: "all my descendants, whether male or female, should begin their education no later than the age of seven and study Western technology and the English language". Equal education for women was an uncommon stance in China at that time.

While in Europe, Xue engaged in substantive trade negotiations with Britain on the question of the China-Burmese border as well as the establishment of consulates in Southeast Asia to protect the rights of Chinese citizens.

In 1894, Xue completed his diplomatic term and returned to China, arriving in Shanghai on May 28 after a long and exhausting trip. A virulent local epidemic struck him down and he died in Shanghai, aged 56.

Xue Garden in Wuxi

A family mansion built in the late 19th century is now a national historical site open to the public. The mansion has a traditional Chinese courtyard and garden, a library building, an open-air opera stage and a billiards room. The mansion was called "half Wuxi city" because of its size reaches 21,000 square metres. It was constructed between 1890 and 1894. As of today, the remains of the mansion cover 6,000 square metres and has 160 rooms. This mansion was designed by Xue himself before he was sent to Europe, and was built by his eldest son Xue Nanming. The Qing government sent him a plaque with the words "Residence of the Imperial Envoy" (钦使第) to recognise him for his diplomatic achievements. The plaque was hung at the entrance of his mansion.

When Xue built this mansion, his official rank was Positive Third Grade (正三品). According to Qing government rules, a Third Grade official's residence cannot exceed five room doors in width, but Xue's mansion was too wide and violated the rules. Xue then thought of separating the nine rooms wide house by three columns of walls so the building looked like nine houses placed together. This design is unique in China. The Xue mansion also incorporates a lot of western-style features such as western-style sliding doors, coloured glass, and a snooker house imported from Europe. There is a turntable floor building inside which is as wide as 11 rooms in width. The building is called "1st turntable floor in China" for its size.

Xue was the second Qing envoy to Europe. His predecessor also served a few years overseas.

Gallery

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion front.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion front gate

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xishao hall.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xishao hall

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xishao hall 1.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xishao hall

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xishao hall 3.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xishao hall

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xuefucheng's clothes as diplomat.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion Xuefucheng's clothes as diplomat

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Yishi Hall (Procedure Hall).jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion Yishi Hall (Procedure Hall)

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Model of Xuefucheng's ship to Europe.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion Model of Xuefucheng's brigantine to Europe

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Zhuanpan storied building.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion turntable floor building (转盘楼)

File:Xuefucheng Old Mansion Snooker table bought from Europe.jpg|Xuefucheng Old Mansion Snooker table bought from Europe

File:Garden of Xuefucheng Old Mansion.jpg|Garden of Xuefucheng Old Mansion