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Lian

Founder of Benchoom · Pianist · Based in Guangzhou, China

I’m Lian, 29, born and still living in Guangzhou. I started playing piano as a kid and never stopped, and I have refused, every time someone has told me to, to switch to a digital. When I move apartments, the piano comes with me. For years I assumed that sore lower back after a long practice session was just how it goes when you take piano seriously. I was wrong. The bench was the problem, not my back. I started Benchoom because I wanted what I could not easily find: piano benches and chairs that you can actually sit on for three hours. I am not a doctor. I read research. I test what we sell on myself first, sometimes for weeks. Then I write what I find. If you have chronic back pain, please see a physiotherapist before you blame the bench.

Lian’s piano background

Lian started playing piano as a child in Guangzhou, China. Like many Chinese pianists of her generation, she trained on an acoustic upright through the conservatoire-style method that emphasizes precision and patience. She has played consistently into adulthood, building her practice around long sessions rather than short bursts — the kind of practice schedule where bench ergonomics matters most.

Despite the practical advantages of digital pianos for renters, Lian has refused to make the switch. Every time she has changed apartment, she has moved her acoustic piano with her. Her perspective on piano benches and chairs comes from someone who treats the instrument — and the body that plays it — as worth the inconvenience.

What Lian brings to product reviews

  • 20+ years of piano practice across student, intermediate, and serious-amateur levels
  • 3 years founding Benchoom and personally testing every product the brand sells
  • 18 months of customer feedback (every email is read)
  • A reading list of academic research on pianist ergonomics, posture, and lumbar support

What Lian is not

Lian is not a medical professional, physiotherapist, or research scientist. The recommendations in Benchoom’s guides are qualified subjective evaluation cross-referenced with published research — not personalized medical advice. Anyone with chronic back pain, herniated discs, sciatica, or persistent pain should consult a licensed physiotherapist or doctor before relying on bench changes alone.

Articles by Lian

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