Pictures of Marshal Xue Gang (通城虎黑煞神薛剛)

Xue Gang (薛剛) aka Tong Cheng Hu (通城虎 Tiger General of City Inspection - a title bestowed by the Emperor while he’s young).

Xue Gang was the 3rd Son of Xue Ding Shan and Fan Li Hua (薛丁山與樊梨花三子). At the age of 18, due to his ignorant attitude, he accidentally killed the Prince (around CE685 - 695), which later caused his whole family to be beheaded by the Emperor.

Why this happen?

This would have to trace back on the history of Xue Gang's reincarnation.

During the battle between Tang Empire and Xi Liang Kingdom (唐朝與西涼國之戰), Xue Ding Shan got married with one of the lady hero of Han Jiang Area (寒江關) – which was Fan Li Hua. Before Fan Li Hua got married to Xue Ding Shan, actually Fan Li Hua was being arranged to marry to Yang Fan (楊藩) – a Xi Liang Warrior.

After Fan Li Hua met up with Xue Ding Shan, Fan Li Hua knew that Xue Ding Shan should be the destinated one and not Yang Fan and so, Fan Li Hua disconnected the engagement with Yang Fan. Within months of the disconnection of engagement, Fan Li Hua married to Xue Ding Shan and agreed to surrender the area of Han Jiang to Tang Empire.

After several planning and recruitments, Xi Liang Kingdom regained the invading of Tang Empire. Again, the Xue Warrior was being appointed to fight against the invaders.

As recorded, this period, Xue Ren Gui (薛仁貴) was not longer around, so only left with Xue Ding Shan & Fan Li Hua to lead the armies to fight against the Xi Liang troop and according to the record, Fan Li Hua was pregnant while she prepared to go on battling.

After several months of battling, the Xue Warrior conquered most of the areas under the Xi Liang Kingdom, soon they entered to the main Capital area, which under-guard by General Yang Fan. Knowing that Yang Fan did learn magical skills before, Fan Li Hua volunteered to fight with him and promised that, this would be the last round of battle for the whole battling and so, Xue Ding Shan agreed to let her go for the last battling.

On the battle ground, Fan Li Hua used her magical skills to defeat Yang Fan. With a blow on Yang Fan's fore-head, Yang Fan was killed on the spot. After his death, Yang Fan gathered his hatred to form a gust of negative energy and within seconds, the energy was being forced to enter into Fan Li Hua’s tummy and while the energy forced itself into the tummy, a sound appeared around Fan Li Hua, saying that Yang Fan would be back to take revenge.

Immediately, Fan Li Hua felt that its time for the baby to be born and so, she dashed back to the camp. Upon returning, Fan Li Hua gave birth to a dark-complexion baby and to her horror, she saw that the baby was born with a palm-mark on the fore-head – which was how Yang Fan got killed.

Knowing that this was the reborn of Yang Fan, Fan Li Hua wanted to kill the baby on the spot, but after the advises she got from the people around, she decided not too.

After growing-up, Xue Gang became very rebellious. Whatever his parent taught him, he would refuse to keep in mind.

At the age of 18, while Xue Gang on his way to meet up with his aunt, sister of Xue Ding Shan known as Xue Jin Lian (薛剛之姑母薛金蓮), he killed the Prince.

After Emperor Wu aka Empress Wu Ze Tian (武則天) got the news, Emperor Wu sent an order to behead the whole Xue family. And this was how, the whole family being killed and their titles being eliminated from the Imperial Court – at that time, Xue Gang escaped from the beheading and went to a rural country side to seek Master to learn skills for the revenge.

Due to his ignorant attitude and the caused of death of the whole family, Xue Gang is not being widely accepted by the folks and this is why, not much Temples in Asia dedicate Altars to him.

In some contexts, he even got titles of Hei Sha Shen (黑煞神) – meaning Deity of Negative Forces, etc.

But because of his contribution in the over-thrown of Emperor Wu Ze Tian and getting back the Official Title of Ping Xi Wang aka Duke Ping Xi (平西王位) for his family, today, in the hometown of Xue Warrior, altars dedicated to Xue Gang can still be found.

For High Res Pictures, please proceed to this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taoism_deity_singapore_2007/photos/album/192628880/pic/list