Not to be confused with Ben Wa balls.

Baoding balls (Chinese: 保定健身球; pinyin: Bǎo​dìng​ Jiàn​shēn Qiú​​, literally "Baoding physical exercise balls") are also known as Chinese exercise balls, Chinese meditation balls, Chinese medicine balls, and healthy balls. They are a traditional product of Baoding, China, thought to have been created during the Ming dynasty. Two or more Baoding balls are rotated repetitively in the hand to improve manual dexterity and strength, and they are also said to assist in injury recovery.

Baoding balls are believed to have originated in Baoding, a town in the Hebei province of China, during the Ming Dynasty. They were once called "iron balls", since they were originally made of iron. As of 2011, there are still artisans in Baoding who produce the meditation balls.

As Baoding balls became more popular and metalworking skills improved, construction methods varied. Most Baoding balls made and used today are constructed as a pair of hollow spheres, one inside the other, with a chime between which rings as the inner ball strikes it. Many modern examples are decorated with cloisonné and brass wire; however, these are not as suitable for actual use because they can easily chip when dropped or when they come into contact with each other. For injury recovery, hollow balls are generally more suitable due to their lighter weight. For exercise purposes balls made of solid iron, steel or tungsten carbide provide added weight, requiring more effort to rotate.

Baoding (Chinese: 保定; pinyin: Bǎodìng) is a city of Hebei province, People's Republic of China, bordering the national capital Beijing, which lies 140 kilometres (87 mi) to the northeast. Its population is 11,194,379 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,665,360 live in the built up area made of 3 urban district plus Qingyuan county now part of the agglomeration.

Baoding is a city with a history dating back to the Western Han Dynasty. It was destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century, but after the Mongols established the Yuan Dynasty, it was rebuilt. It acquired the name "Baoding" during the Yuan dynasty — the name is roughly interpreted as "protecting the capital", referring to the city's proximity to Beijing. Baoding served for many years as the capital of Zhili, and was a significant centre of culture in the Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. After Zhili province was abolished in 1928 Baoding became the capital of the newly formed Hebei province. During World War II, the city was the site of a headquarters for Japanese occupation forces. In 1958, the role of provincial capital was assumed by Tianjin, which had lost its status as a provincial level municipality, but when Tianjin was elevated again in 1966, Baoding regained its position. In 1970, however, the rapidly growing city of Shijiazhuang became capital instead.