Xue Fucheng

Who is Xue Fucheng?

Xue Fucheng was a Qing envoy to Europe in the late 19th century. He served as the Chinese ambassador to Great Britain, France, Belgium and Italy. He wrote a diary during his last four years in imperial service, describing his diplomatic activities and his impressions of Western countries. Other than records of historical events such as the Taiping Rebellion, he also wrote essays on local legends, the macabre and the supernatural. Xue was a proponent of introducing Western technology into China, and wrote about witnessing new technology such as the "telephone" while abroad.

Xue was born in Wuxi, Jiangsu. A family mansion built in the late nineteenth 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. He was the second Qing envoy. His predecessor also served a few years overseas.