HANOI (AFP) - In a sunny temple courtyard in Vietnam, Mr Le Van Thang pushes an iron rod hard against his eye socket and tries to make it bend - his dizzying strength honed through years of practising centuries-old martial art thien mon dao.

Mr Thang, 28, is one of an increasing number of Vietnamese to find refuge in a sport that grew out of a need to protect the country from invaders, but now offers a route to mental well-being in the rapidly changing communist nation.