In China, balls made of wood, stone and walnuts were used for finger exercises way back in ancient times. Later, rich and powerful aristocrats began to use glass and jade balls, which gradually evolved into solid iron balls. These finger-held balls of different materials became the early forms of Chinese health balls.
 
Iron balls played a vital role in the development of the iron ball culture, which has a long history in China. So, the "health ball exercise" is commonly called "iron ball exercise".

The iron ball first appeared in the Song Dynasty. Originally, it was a solid ball otherwise known as "iron egg", which was a kind of weapon used for both exercise and self defense. According to historical data, the solid ball was changed to a hollow one during Emperor Jiaqing's reign of the Ming Dynasty. The ball caught on in Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. The ball's function of dredging channels and boosting vital energy and blood through the stimulation of the acupoints in the hand was gradually recognized.