Shocking footage has captured the moment three monks starting brawling inside a temple as astonished tourists attempted to pull them apart.

In the clip, three men in brown robes appear to be fighting in the middle of the monastery as other monks and visitors surround them.

Several monks can be seen recording the fracas on mobile phones.

As the three men set upon each other, a small group of tourists and monks attempt to pull the brawling group away and calm them down.

According the Chinese news site The Paper, the monks are all mid-level managers at the temple.