Public pianos placed around Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province have been providing a temporary spiritual oasis for people from all walks of life, including construction workers and decoration staff.

The public pianos in the city have recently become a trending topic as a video of one of the players went viral on the internet. In the clip, a construction worker could be seen sitting in front of a piano, fully immersed in his own emotions with tunes flowing out of his dancing fingers.

In a later interview, the man in the video, Yi Qunlin, said he came to Shenzhen 20 years ago. Since then, he had been working as a construction worker along with his son - the one who filmed the moment he played the piano.

"That day we were passing by the tube station entrance and saw someone playing the piano there. We learned that it was a public piano and everyone could have a go. I knew my old man could play, so I encouraged him to have a try and have some fun, and so he did," said Yi Wenli, the son of Yi.

Yi senior said he has always been passionate about music, and would play the harmonica sometimes. He learned piano from a relative at young age, and could still recall some of the tunes to this day.

However, having stayed away from the keyboard for roughly 30 years, Yi never pictured himself playing again, let alone on the streets of the busy, buzzing Shenzhen.

Instead of the black and white keys of an instrument, over the years, Yi's hands have grown more familiar to gray cement, iron shovels and dirty water flowing over washed dishes.

Hence Yi said he was quite nervous when the calluses on his finger pulps once again rested on the keyboard, but as he played on, the cheering nearby smoothed his unease.

"I was cheered up when the people applauded and started to calm down. It's good to be recognized by people. And I was very happy on my way back, very happy indeed," said Yi.

The public piano Yi played on the day was not the only one in the city and Yi was not a loner.

Ever since local authorities kicked off the plan in 2018, three batches of pianos in the city have seen off countless number of piano players and those who are thinking about developing a new hobby.

Decoration worker Wang Qihe was one of them - he met with the public piano one day, flipped, and decided to pick up playing in his 50s.

"It was Nov. 18, 2018 – a date that I would remember forever. I was walking by when I met with the piano. I was intrigued by it, but didn't know anything about it. But then I started getting up early, even before the sunrise, and started practicing using my spare time. I started off when I was 53 and my fingers were pretty stiff. But now four years have passed and the way I can play it now ... I am very proud of myself," said Wang.

After making his debut on the street, Yi told his son to print the piano sheet of an old song named Dream-chaser. Thrilled by his first re-acquaintance with public pianos, he said he is planning to play again and relieve himself temporarily from the worldly worries.

"Music can give people this merry feeling. And when I've been working my back off and feel like taking a break, (I would go play the piano). It comforts me and helps me forget my worries and sorrow," said Yi Qunlin.