In addition to adapting folk songs of ethnic groups of Yunnan province, Qu also wrote original material.

The song Time in Vain talks of his life when he lived in Beijing.

"I walk on the road silently," the lyrics say. "The people passing by are busy. It's another day and I feel reluctant to stand here."

Qu says: "We didn't fit very well with the fast-paced life in bigger cities such as Beijing. When you live in the city too long you feel empty and need to recharge. So in 2017 we returned to Yunnan. Now we have our own studio in Kunming and we grow lots of plants in the garden, and that allows us to be closer to nature.

"It's also easier for us to travel to villages of Yunnan to learn folk music and collect material. Many of the folk songs performed by ethnic groups are used for various occasions, such as weddings, funerals and hunting. For example, you need to play musical instruments and sing if you want to express your love to your girlfriend or boyfriend."

Shanren's members come from various ethnic backgrounds. The bassist Sigao Ala is from the Yi ethnic group; the multi-instrumentalist Fu Te is from the Bouyei ethnic group; and Qu and the drummer Ou Jianyun are Han Chinese; the percussionist Sam Debell is from Britain.

Qu says his early life involved a lot of moving and traveling, and after settling in the city of Kunming he felt a sense of belonging.