King Gesar is an epic from Tibet based on Tibetan folk tales, legends, folk songs and proverbs. Representing the highest achievement of ancient Tibetan culture, it has been in circulation for centuries. It is an encyclopedia-like masterpiece reflecting the history of ancient Tibetan society.
The Story of King Gesar first emerged between the 1st and 6th centuries A.D. and took shape during the period of the Tubo Kingdom from the 7th to the 9th century. Since the 10th century when the Tubo Kingdom collapsed the epic has been further enriched and developed and spread further afield.
The epic is set in ancient Tibetan society where inter tribal warfare was as common as natural disasters. Evil demons and spirits were everywhere playing havoc with the people’s lives. In order to help the people and relieve their suffering several of the good deities decided to send Gesar into the world to defeat the evil demons.
In the epic Gesar is depicted as half man and half god. When he was born he was like a three-year-old child. On just the third day after he came into the world he killed a plague of rats that caused grassland damage. At the age of five Gesar moved to the banks of the Yellow River with his mother. When he was eight years old the Ling Tribe migrated there as well. Gesar won the grand prize at the horse racing festival held by the Ling Tribe at the age of 12 which in turn led to his becoming chief. At the same time he married Sengcham Cholmo, who was the most beautiful girl of the State of Ling. Gesar then led expeditions against the enemies of Ling, defeating in succession the four great demon kings: King Nortsam of the Demon State in the north, King Bacham of the Hor State in the east, King Sadain of the Cham State in the west and King Sintri of the Moinyo State in the south and drew hundreds of other small tribes and minor kingdoms to subjection.