Every Tuesday, music teacher Wen Jin goes to Miaoxi Primary School, located in a mountainous village in Hengyang county of Hengyang, Hunan province, to provide lessons and help students practice for the school band.

The school has just 32 students, eight of whom have joined the band.

Most of the students are left-behind children whose parents work in urban. Most are cared for by grandparents or other relatives.

Wen began coming to the school as a volunteer music teacher in 2022. As long as the rural roads are accessible, he comes every Tuesday to teach two music classes. The school band was established in September.

The students said participating in the band has changed their lives for the better, making them more outgoing. Some of them, following Wen's lead, want to teach music in the future themselves.

Wen said he hopes music will be a positive influence and give them a better future.

Hu Dianhan in Changsha contributed to this story.