The Peacock Flies Southeast

The Peacock Flies Southeast, originally titled An Old Poem Written for Jiao Zhongqing's Wife, is a long narrative gushi poem, and it is well-known by literary critics throughout the history of Chinese literature. The poem is traditionally dated to near the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, approximately between 196—219 AD. It has been called by some critics as being one of the two best-known works of yuefu, the other being the Ballad of Mulan.
In the poem, Liu Lanzhi married Jiao Zhongqing, but Jiao’s mother made them divorce because she didn't like Liu. Liu's brother made her marry another man after she returned. Not willing to forsake Jiao, Liu committed suicide before her second wedding. Upon hearing the news, Jiao also killed himself.
This poem was later collected in the 11th-century collection Yuefu Shi Ji by Guo Maoqian.