Shaolin Monastery.
Built deep in the heart of the Song Mountains
in Henan province
over 1500 years ago.
It is home to the elusive Kung Fu warrior monks
the Chinese equivalent of America’s cowboys
with almost superhuman fighting skills.
But unlike most Hollywood settings,
Shaolin Kung Fu is real.
Though the temple itself has been destroyed
and rebuilt
time and time again.
Shaolin is now a major corporation
and its head monk is the CEO.
They make millions off tourism every year.
Some come to worship.
Others dream of becoming Kung Fu warriors themselves.
Even Westerners aren’t immune.
The monks make a killing selling certified sacred Shaolin fruit,
honey,
and nuts.
But all those tourists are missing the most interesting thing about Shaolin.
Nobody notices the steady trickle of monks disappearing around the corner behind the temple.
They’re heading for a run-down village.
Filled with…
children.
Young boys, mostly.
Living in boarding schools.
It’s a real-life Chinese Hogwarts
for aspiring young martial artists.
Some start as young as five years old.
The goal?
To achieve supernatural powers and supreme wisdom
expressed through Shaolin Kung Fu.
But the reality isn't nearly as glamorous as it sounds.
They get up at 5AM
and run for miles before the sun comes up each day.
Only then do they start to train.
Among the 20,000 Chinese students
I find one young foreigner.
A 14-year-old Vietnamese boy called Fam un Vung.
He read about Shaolin when he was 10
and convinced his parents to bring him here.
Like Harry Potter,
Fam un Vung is very much an outsider.
While his classmates are hanging out together
Fung finds other things to do.
But even if you’re popular, life is not easy here.
They train relentlessly
7 days a week.
Every square inch of level ground
is prime workout real estate.
And there are no ninja fighting sticks
or mystical techniques.
Just dirt,
sweat,
cement,
and a thousand repetitions.
Shaolin Kung Fu gets passed on orally from master
to disciple.
There are over 700 series of movements,
though most students only learn the most popular 72.
Their sensei is more than just a trainer
he’s a father to these kids.
The only break they get is when it rains
and the training grounds become unusable.
Meals are healthy
and vegetarian.
Served out of buckets
and into bowls.
And wolfed down in huge quantities.
They bathe
and brush their teeth in the alley out back
and sleep in crowded dorm rooms
and do lots and lots of chores.
Though they do get to relax from time to time
and just hang out.
Their energy is bottomless.
They share everything from bicycles
to roller blades.
There’s the other one.
But the truth about these boarding schools is even more surprising.
Shaolin, I find out, is where juvenile delinquents get sent.
It’s a boot camp for problem kids.
The teachers deliberately work them half to death.
Channeling their aggressions
Teaching them absolute obedience.
And Buddhist moral values.
They recite the Shaolin code of honor before every meal
and spend hours listening to long lectures several nights a week.
It seems to work.
They’re bone tired
but they barely twitch.
Phung soaks up every word.
For entertainment
they’re allowed the occasional singalong.
They sure don’t look like bad boys to me.
They all dream of becoming movie stars
or at least getting a place on the famous Shaolin Temple performing Kung Fu team.
Most will eventually become policemen,
or join the military.
With one exception.