What is the name of the giant fish-bird from the Zhuangzi?

Kunpeng is the giant fish-bird described in the Zhuangzi.

The opening chapter of the Zhuangzi introduces Kun as an enormous fish in the northern sea. Kun then transforms into Peng, a gigantic bird whose wings are compared to clouds covering the sky. In English, the combined fish-and-bird figure is commonly called Kunpeng, although the text names the fish and bird separately.

The transformation is part of a philosophical parable about scale, perspective, and freedom. Peng travels toward the southern sea, described as the “heavenly pool,” and rises on a powerful whirlwind. The enormous creature is contrasted with small birds and insects whose limited viewpoints make Peng’s vast journey impossible to understand.

A common mix-up is answering only Kun or only Peng. Kun is the fish stage, while Peng is the bird stage; Kunpeng refers to the complete fish-to-bird image. The figure became a major literary symbol in Chinese thought and later influenced names such as the mythical bird Dapeng.