Hui Lan Zhang

Zhang Huilan
Born1955
Hong Kong SAR, China
Other namesWai Lana; Vaiṣṇava dāsī
Occupation(s)Yoga teacher
Media personality
Writer
Years activeSince 1980
Known forWai Lana Yoga and Huilan Yoga (Huilan yujia 蕙兰瑜伽)
AwardsPadma Shri
Websitewailana.com

Hui Lan Zhang or Zhang Huilan (simplified Chinese: 张蕙兰; traditional Chinese: 張蕙蘭; pinyin: Zhāng Huìlán) is an internationally recognized yoga teacher, popularly known as Wai Lana in the West.[1][2] In China, Zhang is called the "mother of yoga" (yujia zhi mu 瑜伽之⺟) in recognition of her significant contributions towards popularizing yoga in the country during the 1980s and 1990s.[3] She is (co)author of numerous works on yoga written in Chinese, most notably Yoga: Qigong and Meditation (Yujia: qigong yu mingxiang 瑜伽——气功与冥想).[4]

Zhang produced her Wai Lana Yoga series for public television in the United States[5] where it has been airing nationwide since 1998 and is still airing today after 18 years—making it the longest-running fitness series ever on public television. Wai Lana Yoga has also aired internationally on five continents: North and South America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.[6] Earlier, in 1985, China Central Television began broadcast her series Yoga: Exercise Methods for One’s Body and Mind (Yujia: ziwo shenxin duanlian fangfa 瑜伽——自我身心锻炼方法).[7]

To help further popularize yoga in the West, Zhang (as Wai Lana) started selling her music CDs, yoga instructional DVDs, and other yoga lifestyle products through different online and offline retail channels. Besides her several books on the practice of Yoga, she has also published two books on cuisine, Wai Lana's Favorite Juices[8] and Wai Lana's Favorite Soups,[9] her Easy Meditation for Everyone Kit, as well as many children's yoga products, including Wai Lana’s Little Yogis Daydream Kit,[10] Fun Songs Cartoon & CD,[11] and Little Yogis DVDs & Books.[12]

In 2015, Wai Lana produced her acclaimed Namaste music video to celebrate the first ever International Day of Yoga on June 21. She wrote the Namaste song to communicate the core values of the yoga way of life—universal brotherhood and love.[13] Namaste was presented at the headline event held by the United Nations at their headquarters in New York City and was streamed live to tens of thousands of yoga lovers gathered at Times Square.[14] To date, her Namaste video has been viewed and listened to over 4 million times.[15]

In 2016, Wai Lana was honored by the Government of India with the prestigious Padma Shri Award[16] for her extraordinary achievements in popularizing yoga globally through her television series, videos, and books.[17] She is only the second Chinese national ever to receive this honor in its 62-year history.[5]

In 2016, to honor the 2nd Annual International Day of Yoga on June 21, Wai Lana released her new Alive Forever short film and music video.[18]

Wai Lana is married to Chris Butler (Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa), a disciple of ISKCON founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Science of Identity Foundation and the spiritual leader of U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard.[19]

  1. ^ "Hui Lan Yoga puts on yoga event attended by thousands of yoga practitioners in China". NRI News. June 24, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  2. ^ "Sweating It Out: Is Yoga Set to Boom in China?". Wharton, University of Pennsylvania. June 7, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  3. ^ Lagace, M. L. A. “‘Mother of Yoga’: Zhang Huilan, Chris Butler, and the Popularization of Yoga in the People’s Republic of China.” Journal of Yoga Studies 5 (2024): 39–67. https://doi.org/10.34000/JoYS.2024.V5.002.
  4. ^ Zhang Huilan 张蕙兰 and Bo Zhongyan 柏忠⾔. Yujia—qigong yu mingxiang 瑜伽——气功与冥想. Beijing: Renmin tiyu chubanshe, 1986.
  5. ^ a b "Padma Shri Winner Wai Lana Revolutionizing Yoga in USA". News Gram. February 4, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  6. ^ "Chinese yoga icon and TV host of Wai Lana Yoga honored with the Padma Shri". NRInews24x7. 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  7. ^ Lagace, M. L. A. “‘Mother of Yoga’: Zhang Huilan, Chris Butler, and the Popularization of Yoga in the People’s Republic of China.” Journal of Yoga Studies 5 (2024): 45. https://doi.org/10.34000/JoYS.2024.V5.002.
  8. ^ Wai Lana (2003). Wai Lana's Favorite Juices. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 978-0-9725618-5-3.
  9. ^ Jana Gaiten; Wai Lana (2008). Wai Lana's Favorite Soups. National Book Network. ISBN 978-1-932493-50-4.
  10. ^ Wai Lana Yoga (1 May 2005). Daydream Kit: Wai Lana's Little Yogis. Wai Lana. ISBN 978-1-932493-36-8.
  11. ^ Wai Lana (1 September 2004). Little Yogis: Fun Songs Activity Book. Wai Lan Yoga Trust. ISBN 978-1-932493-43-6.
  12. ^ Wai Lana (1 January 2006). Daydream Coloring Book. Wai Lan Yoga Trust. ISBN 978-1-932493-26-9.
  13. ^ ""Namaste" music video released by Wai Lana in celebration of International Yoga Day". June 11, 2015.
  14. ^ "Wai Lana's "Namaste" Music Video Played at United Nations in Celebration of International Yoga Day"". 2015.
  15. ^ "Wai Lana Yoga "Namaste" Music Video Viewed & Heard Over 4 Million Times". 2015.
  16. ^ "Padma Awards Include Religious Leaders". Hinduism Today. January 26, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  17. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  18. ^ "Yoga Icon Wai Lana's Alive Forever Music Video Receives Over 1 Million Views Days After Being Released". July 14, 2016.
  19. ^ "Tulsi Gabbard Had a Very Strange Childhood". 11 June 2019.