"We didn't have any musical background before entering the troupe. Some of us had even never seen a violin before," Shi Zheng Xiaocong, 27, and a member of the troupe, told the Global Times.

Due to varying skill levels, the troupe has turned down many invitations to perform. "We hope to put on more shows when we have sharpened our skills and our playing becomes more professional," master Xiaocong said.

Outside of their monastic duties, they spend nearly seven hours a day learning and practising. They sometimes hire teachers, but on most occasions, some artists, including some noted professors from the Central Conservatory of Music, offer them free lessons.

The classes comprise singing and instrument lessons as well as physical exercise classes, according to master Xiaocong.

The troupe is the first of its kind in China and seeks to pass on a sense of peace and appreciation for Buddhism through music.

We recommend:

The jazzman cometh to China - again	Pupils attend first writing ceremony at Confucius Temple in Jiangsu