Shaolin Temple Kung Fu School

August 2002: Teenage students practice high kicks on a pad attached to a tree. Shaolin Mountain in China's Henan Province is said to be the birthplace of Marital Arts. Developed by Buddist Monks to mimic the natural behavior of animals, Kung Fu has gained a worldwide following as a meditative exercise and self-defense. The mountain region and surrounding towns are home to dozens of Kung Fu schools which attract thousands of young Chinese from around the country who come to study, most staying months at a time. Most of the students are boys, who either learn the art for its own sake, or to become instructors, policemen or security guards. At the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu TV and Film School, the subject of these photographs, the goal is a little more modern. These students want to be the next Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. --- Photo by David Butow/Corbis SABA | Location (Photo by David Butow/Corbis via Getty Images)