National Ballet of China
Xue joined the National Ballet of China in 1963. She was relatively unknown as a ballerina prior to being cast in Red Detachment of Women. It has been reported that Jiang Qing saw Xue perform and exclaimed that she reminded her of herself at that age, advising the troupe to give the dancer a role. Xue was first cast as the company commander, then as the lead Wu Qinghua (). Alternatively, it has also been suggested that Zhou Enlai saw her perform as the company commander and recommended Xue be cast as the lead.