This Young Girl Is Training To Become A Kung Fu Master

In densely populated China, competition for education is fierce. Students who don't succeed academically are often sent to Kung Fu schools. "She looks very clever and wise, but really she is very foolish," says ChengWu's teacher.

At age eight, ChengWu is both the youngest female and one of the smallest at the school. Many of her peers are up to 12 years older.

The students wake at 5:30 for their morning practice. Their days are regimented and consist of 4 hours of Kung Fu practice and 4 to 6 hours of class with lights out at 9:30.

Here, ChengWu clings to the stuffed animal her father gave her. With her parents a three-day bus ride away in the ZheJiang Province, she will probably see them only once a year.

ChengWu's parents are laborers, making the relatively inexpensive cost of the school an appealing option. They dream that their daughter my now have a chance to become a Kung Fu star.