Li Bai was particularly enamored of the jian and is said to have taken up its study at age 15. He was also reputedly envious of knights-errant, who could "slay a man in ten steps and walk a thousand miles without pause."
灑脫奔放的李白更是熱愛劍術，十五學劍，羨慕俠客能「十步殺一人，千里不留行」。