Chinese Kungfu Star TV Contest Held At Shaolin Temple

DENGFENG, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 9: (CHINA OUT) Shi Yongxin (C), Abbot of the Shaolin Temple, accompanied by monks, attends the Chinese Kungfu Star TV Contest at the Shaolin temple on September 9, 2006 in Dengfeng of Henan Province, China. Thirty-six of the world's top martial arts masters attended the contest today and the top nine of them will enter the grand final in Shenzhen city. The 36 masters are contestants who took out the first three places in previous competitions in the U.S., Russia, Australia, France, Germany, Italy and China. They have been staying at the Shaolin Temple since September 1, for nine days in secluded practice for the final stage. The Chinese Kungfu Star TV Contest, jointly organized by the Shaolin Temple and the Shenzhen Satellite TV Station in southern Guangdong Province, began in March this year and has drawn kungfu fanatics from around the world, according to state media. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)