In The Book of Songs, it is described as having a tragic sound, like the cries of people who have wandered far from home and become lost. This is the origin of the expression, "ai hong bian ye" (lit.
《詩經》裡說雁的鳴聲哀傷，似人類流離失所的悲鳴，「哀鴻遍野」出自於此。