Tradition: Chinese mythology
Alternative Names: Dulong (毒龙)
Category: Dragon
The Myth
The Poison Dragon is an evil dragon of Chinese legend, a dangerous and malevolent creature associated particularly with the ancient Western Regions. Unlike benevolent dragons that govern rain and water, the Poison Dragon is remembered as a hostile supernatural being whose nature is expressed through its name: the poisonous dragon.
Ancient Chinese records repeatedly mention Poison Dragons. They appear in works such as the You Tianzhu Ji (Record of a Journey to Tianzhu), the Luoyang Qielan Ji (Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang), and the Liang Jing Ji (Record of the Two Capitals). These accounts place the creatures especially within the lands of the ancient Western Regions, where encounters with strange dragons and supernatural beings formed part of the legendary landscape.
The Poison Dragon also appears in the later Xiuyun Ge, where Poison Dragon and other demons gather together after being summoned. The gathered creatures initially believe that they have been called together to fight the Daoist of Wanxing Terrace. Poison Dragon explains that this is not their purpose: they have instead been ordered by an immortal to assemble the demons and form a magical array against Sanjian.
Thus the Poison Dragon appears in Chinese legendary literature as a distinctly malevolent dragon, associated with poisonous and demonic forces rather than the protective or auspicious nature commonly attributed to other Chinese dragons.
Sources
“毒龙 (Dúlóng; Poison Dragon).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AF%92%E9%BE%99