Standing like a Tree: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol Examining Daoist Zhanzhuang within a PNEI Framework
Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative September 1, 2026 Zhuo Job Chen, Kelsey Julian, Michael J. Persin et al.
Psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunology (PNEI) provides a framework for understanding the integration of psychological, neural, endocrine, and immune processes, yet it has rarely engaged non-Western models of mind–body regulation. This study examines Zhanzhuang (aka Chan-chuang), a Daoist standing meditation centered on the cultivation of qi, as a potential PNEI intervention. We present the protocol...