Cheong looked at Wolbong with newfound respect. Did the grumpy bald monk actually know how to handle children? Or was Shaolin secretly the ultimate in not only martial arts but also early childhood education?

Cheong didn’t know it, but in truth, it was indeed the latter. The Shaolin Temple often found itself sheltering children abandoned by destitute parents, who, hoping for Buddha’s mercy, left them behind. During their alms rounds, monks would often encounter abandoned or dying children whom they could not bring themselves to ignore. Such acts of compassion were part of the legacy that had earned Shaolin the …