Raised in a 1500-year-old monastery, warrior monk Shi Yan Ming is considered such an amazing martial artist that the Chinese government declared him a national treasure. But he shocked the world by moving to New York City in 1992, marking the first time that a Shaolin monk has ever defected from China. He soon opened a temple in Manhattan, teaching Shaolin martial arts and Chan (Zen) Buddhism. New Yorkers flocked to see the master and his unbelievable physical feats: Yan Ming can shatter bricks on his head, sleep standing on one leg, and lie on a bed of nails while a sledgehammer crushes concrete blocks on his chest. But while the fighting monk embraces pain, his message is peace. His spiritual teachings have attracted an incredible variety of students. Hes even been embraced by hip-hop culture, including De La Soul, the Wu Tang Clan and rap impresario RZA, who call him their Sifu or master. Combining interviews with hip-hop artists and Hollywood actors and footage of the monk practicing martial arts against the backdrop of graffiti-covered walls, Kung Fu Monk is the remarkable story of how one man is transforming an ancient Eastern tradition into a stunning Western