I met Zhuang Leng in a research class at the Institute. His demeanor was positive, calming, reassuring, all-knowing—a demeanor soon to be known as The Zhuang Attitude. I knew there must be some spirit-centering practice at the core of his daily preparatory routine.

I met Zhuang Leng in a research class at the Institute. His demeanor was positive, calming, reassuring, all-knowing—a demeanor soon to be known as The Zhuang Attitude. I knew there must be some spirit-centering practice at the core of his daily preparatory routine...

It was only once he unveiled the first of The Three Steps that I began to understand. The event is incised between the folds of my brain...

I opened the door. Four Tet played over the speakers of the performance arena. Zhuang, acting with complete focus, channeled the hypnotic energy of the music in his preparations to debut The First Step to its first-ever audience. He seemed to have a whole lot of large Ziploc bags he needed to inflate, so I offered him my lungs.

It was only once he unveiled the first of The Three Steps that I began to understand. The event is incised between the folds of my brain...

I opened the door. Four Tet played over the speakers of the performance arena. Zhuang, acting with complete focus, channeled the hypnotic energy of the music in his preparations to debut The First Step to its first-ever audience. He seemed to have a whole lot of large Ziploc bags he needed to inflate, so I offered him my lungs.

Soon after he unveiled The First Step, I offered him my protection.

Knowing there would be entities out there conspiring to warp his image, to toss his intentions to the wall and paint him as a ne'er-do-well, to misrepresent The Three Steps as new age nonsense, I designed the role of Core Identity Defender.

My first, most pressing task: The Zhuang Alliance Group Style Guide.

Soon after he unveiled The First Step, I offered him my protection.

Knowing there would be entities out there conspiring to warp his image, to toss his intentions to the wall and paint him as a ne'er-do-well, to misrepresent The Three Steps as new age nonsense, I designed the role of Core Identity Defender.

My first, most pressing task: The Zhuang Alliance Group Style Guide.

[click above to view the ZAG Style Guide in its entirety, partially redacted for non-ZAG viewing]

[click above to view the ZAG Style Guide in its entirety, partially redacted for non-ZAG viewing]
[For safe-keeping: download PDF here]

The ZAG Style Guide outlines strict parameters for the usage, implementation, and deployment of all ZAG terminology, intellectual property, and procedures. This includes The Zhuang Attitude, The Three Steps, The ZAG Lifestyle, typography, photography, logography, and the correct brand of milk.

The ZAG Style Guide outlines strict parameters for the usage, implementation, and deployment of all ZAG terminology, intellectual property, and procedures. This includes The Zhuang Attitude, The Three Steps, The ZAG Lifestyle, typography, photography, logography, and the correct brand of milk.

The Style Guide was completed during a crisis. After The Second Step, the ZAG had amassed its widest following yet, and spirits were high.

Unfortunately, as with all seemingly benevolent pseudo-religious groups (a classification we do not condone but use as a point of common understanding), a faction believing Zhuang to be a God among men was exiled from ZAG by Zhuang himself.

Their fear of The Final Step, and what might happen to Zhuang after its completion, drove them to abort it. Zhuang was stopped and detained, mid-milk-sip, by a member of the newly-formed Zhuang Idolization Group (ZIG), impersonating an officer of the law.

The Style Guide was completed during a crisis. After The Second Step, the ZAG had amassed its widest following yet, and spirits were high.

Unfortunately, as with all seemingly benevolent pseudo-religious groups (a classification we do not condone but use as a point of common understanding), a faction believing Zhuang to be a God among men was exiled from ZAG by Zhuang himself.

Their fear of The Final Step, and what might happen to Zhuang after its completion, drove them to abort it. Zhuang was stopped and detained, mid-milk-sip, by a member of the newly-formed Zhuang Idolization Group (ZIG), impersonating an officer of the law.

In the wake of Zhuang's abduction, the ZAG went dark.

Over a year went by before Zhuang resurfaced in the shape of a phone call. "Josh-awan... Gather the ZAGawans. There is to be a meeting... Tomorrow at 6 pm... Location: classified."

In the wake of Zhuang's abduction, the ZAG went dark.

Over a year went by before Zhuang resurfaced in the shape of a phone call. "Josh-awan... Gather the ZAGawans. There is to be a meeting... Tomorrow at 6 pm... Location: classified."

Each meeting poster, stapled up on telephone poles around town, contains the same elements: what, when, who, and where (the "why" is implied). Out of fear of the ZIG finding the ZAG secret meetings, I had to devise a system of riddles leading ZAGawans to the constantly-changing meeting locations. Each riddle is taken verbatim from Zhuang's three-word texts to the ZAG group chat. Any true ZAGawan will know how to decipher this and find the location of the meeting.

Each meeting poster, stapled up on telephone poles around town, contains the same elements: what, when, who, and where (the "why" is implied). Out of fear of the ZIG finding the ZAG secret meetings, I had to devise a system of riddles leading ZAGawans to the constantly-changing meeting locations. Each riddle is taken verbatim from Zhuang's three-word texts to the ZAG group chat. Any true ZAGawan will know how to decipher this and find the location of the meeting.

During what became ZAG's final meeting, the ZIG breached Zhuang's encrypted video stream and accused me—Josh-awan, the Core Identity Defender of the Zhuang Alliance Group—of holding Zhuang captive.

To present my case against this baseless claim, I live-streamed an explanation of the ZAG Style Guide and all signs that point to the ZIG being Zhuang's actual abductors.

Special thanks to the unpaid ZAG intern who archived the stream for me. May they rest in peace.

During what became ZAG's final meeting, the ZIG breached Zhuang's encrypted video stream and accused me—Josh-awan, the Core Identity Defender of the Zhuang Alliance Group—of holding Zhuang captive.

To present my case against this baseless claim, I live-streamed an explanation of the ZAG Style Guide and all signs that point to the ZIG being Zhuang's actual abductors.

Special thanks to the unpaid ZAG intern who archived the stream for me. May they rest in peace.