Kongque dongnanfei

Chinese folk ballad

Also known as: “Southeast the Peacock Flies”

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June 30, 2026

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The folk ballad "Kongque dongnanfei" (Southeast the Peacock Flies) is the most outstanding folk ballad from the Han dynasty in China. It is the longest poem from early Chinese literature, with 353 lines.1

The ballad tells the tragic story of a young married couple who died by suicide due to the cruelty of the husband's mother. It was likely first sung shortly after 200 CE and was refined through oral tradition before being recorded around 550 CE. This ballad is part of the yuefu category, which are songs collected by the Music Bureau and include touching lyrics and charming ballads.1

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Chinese literature
Poetry
…ballad of this period is Kongque dongnanfei (“Southeast the Peacock Flies”). The longest poem of early Chinese literature (353 lines), it relates the tragedy of a young married couple who committed suicide as the result of the cruelty of the husband’s mother. The ballad was probably first sung shortly after…
Read More
…ballad of this period is Kongque dongnanfei (“Southeast the Peacock Flies”). The longest poem of early Chinese literature (353 lines), it relates the tragedy of a young married couple who committed suicide as the result of the cruelty of the husband’s mother. The ballad was probably first sung shortly after…
Read More