The literary writing of filial sons seeking relatives across ten thousand miles reached its zenith in the Late Ming and Qing dynasties， providing an analytical perspective of cultural concepts and literary ecology for understanding moral rigorism in the history of Qing ideology. The elite narrative tradition， represented by stele biographies， anchored the narrative logic in filial piety， and the filial son was portrayed as a moral model—resolute， emotionally moving， and detached from worldly gain. Popular literature such as novels and dramas， on the other hand， employed legendary conflicts to drive the narrative， highlighting suppressed voices， the encounters of those left behind， and more far-reaching social problems. Through filial piety， elite narratives forge communal identity， which in turn shaped the strict moral and ethical norms of the Qing dynasty. Through the conflict between emotion （qing情） and reason （li理）， and by probing the very meaning of the “filial quest”， novels and drama invited readers to reexamine the moral tradition and social ecology centered on filial piety， and to explore a sentient world beyond the pursuit of immortality.