The Tianjiao special guard academy was set up by former Chinese
soldier Chen Yongqing, and is China’s first professional training
academy for personal body guards. Each student pays 500,000 yuan
(US$82,400) a year to undergo the harsh training, and aspire to
protect China’s rich and famous. Chen said that his initial
clients were celebrities, but now rich entrepreneurs are keen to
have their own personal army of body guards.
A female trainee lies on the ground after being drenched with
water during training, held outside of Beijing
A female trainee falls into a stupor during a bout of high
intensity training
Instructors kick a trainee who gave up during a
training session. Trainers at the academy are sourced from the
Chinese military, as well as from Israel and Russia.
Cuts and wounds are common due to the harsh and rigourous
trianing.
Blood drips from a trainee's nose as he takes part in a
long-distance run. Retired soldiers see this as a chance to put
their skills and talent to use, rather than work as a security
guard.
Students carry a tree trunk as part of their training.
A student takes aim with a replica 95 semi-automatic
rifle at a shooting training field managed by the
Chinese military.
Students running over the bodies of fellow trainees.
Trainees practise helping their employer escape into a car at a
training field
Student Ding Kun stands guard in a villa during field
training. Apart
from ensuring the security of their company, the rich are keen to
have their family safeguarded from kidnappers. A client named Zhang
hired 18 bodyguards from Tianjiao after his friend was kidnapped
and killed. He says: “Society is not stable nowadays.”
