SHAOLIN MONKS PERFORM IN ATHENS, 2002-06-16 (photo)

Shaolin monks perform in Athens at the Womad music festival, within the framework of Cultural Olympics 2004, june 15, 2002. The monks left central China to tour the world performing their martial arts acrobatics and raise money for their monastery,. According to their legends, the emperor of China nearly anihilated their order in the 6th century after the monks refused to obey his demand to become his bodyguards. For over fifteen hundred years the Shaolin Monks from China's Henan Province have applied the discipline of martial arts as a unique manifestation of their religion. The name Shaolin has become synonymous with the finest and most extraordinary feats of discipline, strength and courage; and with the growth in popularity of modern Kung Fu, the reputation of the Shaolin Monks has become established throughout the world. REUTERS/Grigoris Siamidis REUTERS GS