Zhan Zhuang is a form of standing meditation originating in China
Zhan Zhuang (Jam Jong) was developed in China by masters of meditation and acupuncture. It builds strength and cures some illnesses. Stand relax and use abdominal breathing. Sounds a bit weird ? Read on and find out more with two very useful articles written by Chris Radnedge and Scott Jeffrey. I have also added to Youtube videos to provide a visual understanding.
I have tried several forms of meditation. Quite often after a martial arts or yoga class for short periods of time. Sometimes kneeling, cross legged or lying down. I have attended Zazen – Zen Meditation. I have even built up over time to perform the full lotus which I don’t believe can do your knee joints a great deal of good. I then came across Standing Meditation or Zhan Zhuang as it is known in China.
I have practiced Zhan Zhuang for some time now and I undoubtedly can the feel the benefits. Ideally a session can be completed in between several minutes up to 20 minutes or sometimes longer.
New beginners’ Standing Meditation Video I produced in 2025
Below is a few excerpts from an article by Chris Radnedge who is a soft tissue therapist and tai chi instructor in Australia. The full article is in the link further below.
Chris Radnedge
The benefits are that it can deeply release long held stress and tension. The legs, spine and shoulders become very strong yet relaxed. Unnecessary tension is released from the joints and muscles, making them more flexible and elastic.
Standing meditation makes use of specific relaxed abdominal breathing, use of mental imagery, and awareness of the inside of your body.
Zhan zhuang philosophy asserts that a flexible and strong spine keeps your whole body young and agile. Zhan zhuang places special importance upon elongating the spine. This majorly decompresses the spinal discs and entire nervous system.
Sitting meditation can become very cerebrally based. Zhan zhuang prioritises connection with the physical body. The physical body is viewed as an anchor of the mind and emotions. The physical body is the perfect point of reference for calming the mind and emotions.
The opposite is also true. Anyone living with chronic pain will tell you that any increase in stress or anger can flare up an injury. Science and research now also now supports this.
Below is a few excerpts from an article by Scott Jeffrey who is the founder of CEOsage, a transformational leadership agency and resource for self-actualizing individuals. The full article is in the link further below. It is quite long but is a very interesting read to further your understanding.
Scott Jeffrey
Zhan Zhuang is a simple yet powerful exercise to enhance energy, mental clarity, and internal strength. It’s an excellent standing meditation for improving your productivity and bringing more aliveness to everything you do.
What if there was one thing you can do to increase your energy, mental clarity, and endurance in under ten minutes a day?
Video Tutorials
There are many video tutorials about Standing Meditation on Youtube. Below are two that are particularly good. One set in Ireland with an Irish man and the other set in China with a Chinese Man.
The first is by Colin Donohoe of Centre Life Balance, he is a Tai Chi instructor from Ireland.
The second is by Yuan Xiu Gang of the Wudang Academy
I hope that the above articles and Youtube clips can provide you with enough inspiration to give Zhan Zhuang a try. It is certainly becoming part of my routine.
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