Tradition: Chinese mythology
Alternative Names: Old Jian, Lao Jian, Jian Shi
Category: Dragon
The Myth
Lao Jian is a poisonous dragon of ancient Chinese mythology, a dangerous creature associated with floods and destructive waters. His presence could cause severe water damage, and his power was great enough that he had to be subdued by Li Bing, the governor and general of Shu.
During the Qin Dynasty, Li Bing confronted the poisonous dragon Jian Shi and subdued it, binding it with chains and locking it on the river. Once the dragon had been restrained, the flooding ceased.
The identity of Jian is connected with Nie Zi, a wicked dragon from the legend of Wang Niang Tan. When Nie Zi transformed himself into a dragon, his mother managed to hold onto one of his feet, preventing that foot from undergoing the transformation. He therefore remained lame, and this peculiar deformity gave rise to the name Jian.
The name is further connected with Nie Zi’s surname, Nie, which is said to echo the name of the dragon. Thus Lao Jian is remembered as the poisonous, crippled dragon whose watery power was finally restrained by Li Bing.
Sources
“老蹇 (Lǎojiǎn).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%80%81%E8%B9%87