Xue Ji 薛稷

Xue Ji (649 - 713), courtesy name Sitong, was born in an intellectuals’ family in Puzhou, Fenyang (now Wangrong County in Shanxi). He was considered one of the four greatest calligraphers of the early Tang, along with Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang.

He was a great-grandson of Xue Daoheng, a great writer and an important official of the Tang Dynasty's preceding Sui Dynasty, and his uncle Xue Yuanchao was once a Chief Councillor during Emperor Gaozong's reign. He actually had a successful official career and held a number of senior positions in the imperial court. Unfortunately, in 713, during Emperor Xuanzong’s reign, he was embroiled into the case of Dou Huaizhen, who plotted to stage a coup. Xue Ji was arrested and imprisoned and ordered to commit suicide at the age of 63.

His maternal grandfather Wei Zheng had a large collection of books and reading materials, among them were authentic calligraphic works of Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang. He had seen many calligraphic works of Yu Shinnan and Chu Suiliang in his grandfather’s house and was inspired to practice calligraphy. Later, when he served in the inner court, he had the opportunity to learn from works of many famous calligraphers from Wei and Jin periods like Zhong Yao, Zhang Xu, Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi.

However, Xue Ji left few calligraphic works. From his work left in small regular script, one can see the characteristics of the early Tang regular script: thin and rigid. His learning journey can be classified into three phases. During the first phase, he learned from calligraphy of Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan. In the second phase, he favoured the work of Chu Suiliang and was very much inspired by Chu. During his later years, he was able to break away from the influences of Ouyang, Yu and Chu, and created his own style. He thus became a most famous calligrapher during the later period of the early Tang dynasty and exerted great influence on the later generations.

On the whole, Chu Suiliang had the most influential impact on Xue Ji’s calligraphy as Xue faithfully learned and retained Chu’s style of writing.

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薛稷（649-713）字嗣通，出生于蒲州汾阴（今山西万荣）的一个书香世家。他是初唐四大书法家之一，其他三名是欧阳询、虞世南与褚遂良。

他是大文学家与唐前朝隋朝名臣薛道衡的曾孙。从父薛元超在唐高宗时期做过中书令。他的仕途其实不错，在朝廷中作过不少高职官位。不幸的是，他被卷入了窦怀贞密谋政变的案件。薛稷被捕关进监牢，并被令服毒自杀，时年63岁。

他的外祖魏征，家富图籍，多有虞世南、褚遂良墨迹。薛稷因此在他外祖家中看到虞世南与褚遂良的书法而受到启发，锐精模写。后来，他在内廷做事时，有机会学到魏晋多名著名书法家的书法，例如：钟繇、张旭、王羲之与王献之等。

但是，薛稷传世作品不多。从所流传的小楷，我们到可以见到初唐书法的特征：瘦硬。薛稷的书法可以分前、中、后三个时期，前期书艺，宗欧阳询、虞世南；中期宗褚遂良，并给予较大的启发。到晚年时期则摆脱欧、虞、褚三家的影响，而独创一格，成为初唐晚期最有影响的一位著名书家。

但总的来看，褚遂良对他的影响最大，他忠实地承袭了褚书的面貌。