Xue was born in Lirang Town of Liangshan County in Sichuan Province of China in 1905, which was during the Qing Dynasty.

In his early years, he studied at school in Wuchang and Nanjing.

[citation needed] In 1926, Xue joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Xue worked in Eastern Jiangxi Communist-controlled China (赣东东北革命根据地) in 1930, then worked in Minbei Communist-controlled China (闽北革命根据地), he was transferred to Jiangxi Military District (江西军区) in 1934.

[citation needed] After 1949, Xue served as the deputy mayor of Beijing, the vice chairman of State Economic and Trade Commission, the deputy head of the United Front Work Department of the CCP Central Committee, the deputy secretary general of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.