Award-winning photographer Tomasz Gudozowaty visited the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province to document the monks in training. His work has been published in *TIME*, *Newsweek*, and *Forbes.* Gudozowaty explains on his [website](http://gudzowaty.com/#/essays/2), “ *Training in Kung Fu is mostly done without an opponent, as it was never meant to kill, and the poetic names of the moves implies that it is more of meditation than a fight. However, the only difference between breaking a clay jug and smashing a human skull with one’s bare hands is consciousness of will. Despite the commercialization, Kung Fu retains a mystical character closer to a monastic discipline than to the performances of modern gladiators*.” The photos depict the Shaolin monks tremendous strength, impressive dedication, and their ability to endure physical pain.
