Wang Zhaojun
Early literary tradition in China, for example in a 3rd-century description by Fu Xuan, "Ode to Pipa", associates the Han pipa with the northern frontier, Wang Zhaojun and other princesses who were married to nomad rulers of the Wusun and Xiongnu peoples in what is now Mongolia, northern Xinjiang and Kazakhstan. Wang Zhaojun in particular is frequently referenced with pipa in later literary works and lyrics, for example Ma Zhiyuan's play "Autumn in the Palace of Han" (漢宮秋), especially since the Song dynasty (although her story is often conflated with other women including Liu Xijun), as well as in music pieces such as "Zhaojun's Lament" (昭君怨, also the title of a poem), and in paintings where she is often depicted holding a pipa.