A performance of King Gesar

King Gesar is a heroic epic collectively created by China's Tibetans. Originating via folk oral traditions, King Gesar was passed down through the generations in a combination of song and narration for over 1,000 years. So far, King Gesar has been collected in more than 120 volumes, with more than one million verses (over 20 million words) -- 25 times the length of the Western classic, Homer's Iliad. King Gesar, the greatest work of Tibetan literature, is easily the longest epic in the world, which has also appeared in ballads among the Mongols and Tus.

King Gesar of the Ling Kingdom was born in the 11th century as the son of the supreme god Indira. As a boy, he was very mischievous, but divine by nature and full of supernatural powers. His greatest enemy was his uncle -- a cowardly, vain and pretentious man who hoped to rule the country. Although the hero and his mother were banished, Gesar's exile enabled him to nurture his hidden strengths. He emerged victorious in a horse race to become king of the nation. King Gesar then began conquering the "kingdoms of demons" -- the Jiang and Hor (northern Mongolian people) kingdoms. The war between the Ling and Hor kingdoms constituted one of the central parts of the story. It began with a beautiful girl, Qomu, who was King Gesar's queen. The Hor king, also known as the "White Tent King," heard about her beauty and sent for her. When his request was refused, he sent troops to attack the Ling kingdom. After several battles, another girl was sent to the Hor king in the place of Qomu. But once the truth was uncovered, the battles resumed. The Ling capital, along with Queen Qomu, was finally captured by Hor troops. But King Gesar organized all his troops with the help of an important Hor general, captured the Hor capital, killed the White Tent King and rescued his queen.

In Tibetan-inhabited areas Gesar was known as the king of the ancient Tibetan kingdom of the Ling. The great hero and his brave army are kept alive in the rich, imaginative retellings of the epic. From early times, the epic was passed on orally. Today, a small number of inscribed woodblocks of the epic can be found in Lhasa, Xigaze and Dege County in Sichuan Province; a few handwritten copies are also dispersed among some families. The Potala Palace contains a statue of Gesar, which still attracts pilgrims on a daily basis. Gesar's deeds were recorded in the Kangba region more than anywhere else, and handwritten and printed versions of Gesar from Dege are considered the most authoritative works. People still argue that the village of Ngaxu in Northern Dege County was the birthplace of Gesar.

Gesar's image and story are immortalized in carvings, paintings, murals, woodcuts, embroideries, songs, dances and plays. Tibet has a research institute specializing in the study of the epic, whose research projects are listed as key State projects. Since 1979, the institute has collected more than 180 different song and narration versions of the epic, 55 woodblock and mimeographed editions and has recorded 70 performances of the epic on more than 3,000 recording tapes. Since liberation, China's related research institutes have been working on this monumental portion of world literature by gathering, sorting, collecting, studying and publishing the material on a large scale.

Plots

The story is set in the distant past, when the common people of the Tibetan plateau were subjected to many natural disasters and calamities. Demons and spirits ran wild. In hopes of helping the people The Goddess of Mercy asked the Amitabha Buddha to send the son of the God of Heaven to the world to defeat the evil demons.

Toiba Gawa, who later came to be known as Gesar, descended upon the earth and became king of the Tibetan people. With his great abilities to defeat the demons and aid the poor and common people, Gesar was portrayed as a combination of god, dragon and a fierce spirit known as nyan in primitive Tibetan religion. He was endowed with special characteristics and marvelous powers and abilities, also suffering several trials. However, his invincible powers and protection from the God of Heaven helped him to survive and eventually defeat the demons.

Throughout his human life, Gesar labored to abolish the scourges that plagued the lives of the common people. At the age of five, he moved to the banks of the Yellow River with his mother. When he was eight, they were joined by the members of the Ling tribe. Winning a horse race against the finest tribe warriors at the tender age of 12 led to his position as chief. Gesar then married Sengjam Zholmo and led expeditions against his enemies, defeating the northern demons that had invaded the Ling Kingdom. In successive campaigns, Gesar defeated King Gurdkar of the Hor Kingdom, King Sadam of the Jiang Kingdom, King Shingkhri of Monyul, King Nor of Tangzig, King Chidan of Khachevigyu, King Toigui of the Zugu Kingdom and scores of other small tribes and minor kingdoms known as zongs in ancient Tibet. After completing his sacred mission, Gesar returned to heaven together to join his mother and wife, bringing the grand epic of his life to a dramatic close.

The story's structure touches on two important periods in Tibetan social development and includes depictions of almost 100 tribes, kingdoms and regions. The epic is generally divided into three parts: the birth of Gesar; his expeditions against the enemy; and his return to heaven. Of the three parts, the depictions of his battles and exploits are most detailed and contain the most enlightening contents in relation to Tibetan history and culture. The second part includes four chapters - "Defeating Demons in the North," "Battles Between Hor and Ling," "Defending the Salt Sea," and "Battles Between Mon and Ling," as well as 54 zong battles.
Story of King Gesar

The epic, King Gesar , first emerged between the first and sixth centuries -- namely between the fall of the clan society to the establishment of a slave society. During the period, battles between clans, tribes and ethnic groups broke out frequently, serving as a premise for King Gesar.

During the heyday of the Tubo Kingdom, ie, from the seventh to the ninth centuries, Tibetan society experienced enormous changes characterized by the development of productive forces and cultural undertakings, and reinforced national confidence.

The epic gained popularity in Tibetan-inhabited areas, as well as in Mongolia and Tu and Yugu regions. More than 90 percent of King Gesar 's singers are Tibetans scattered throughout Tibet, and the Tibetan-inhabited areas of Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan. Despite the geographical difficulties (the areas are landlocked), these epic singers tell the same stories. The same sagas are often recounted in areas inhabited by Mongolian and Tibetan ethnic groups outside China.

Becoming king

Traditional editions of the epic include "The Chapter on Heaven," "The Birth of the Hero," and "Becoming King by Winning a Horse Race" as the initial chapters. They tell how Gesar was born and how he grew to become king of the State of Ling.

Long, long ago, Tibetan ancestors led a happy life. Then, all of a sudden, wars broke out in the region.

They prayed to the Goddess of Mercy, who sought help from Amitabha in paradise. Amitabha then sent Tuiba Gawa (Gesar), the son of Deqoi Ongya, and the heavenly concubine to rescue the people from their lives of misery.

To enable Gesar to subdue demons and support the weak and the poor, the epic describes him as part deity, part dragon and part ideology. When Gesar was born, he suffered persecution. But, relying on his own strengths and protection from the deities, he was able to conquer the ghosts and demons.
When he was five years old, Gesar was forced to move to the Yellow River area with his mother.

When he was eight, the Ling tribe migrated there, as well. During a horse race for the title of king and Zhubo's hand in marriage -- the most beautiful girl of the tribe -- Gesar defeated his uncle and many tribe generals to emerge victorious.

From then on, Gesar became king of the State of Ling and was officially named the Lion King of the World Gesar Lhobo Zhadui.

Fighting demons

When he ascended the throne, King Gesar was confronted by an invasion launched by four vicious enemies. Here lies the major part of the epic: "Battle Between Mo and Ling," "Battle Between Hor and Ling," "Battle Between Jiang and Ling," and "Battle Between Moin and Ling."

To the north of the State of Ling was the State of Mo, ruled by King Lutsang, who ate children. One day, King Lutsang kidnapped Maisa, Gesar's second concubine.

To wipe out the demon and rescue his concubine, Gesar departed for the north. He managed to get in touch with Maisa and the two worked together to abolish King Lutsang.

Maisa, who wanted to be Gesar' s wife, managed to trick the king into drinking her magic portion. As a result, Gesar stayed in the State of Mo for 12 years. During this period, the State of Ling was invaded by the State of Hor, and Gesar' s wife, Zholmo, was kidnapped by the invaders.

The State of Hor lay to the northeast of the State of Ling and was ruled by three kings, who were brothers. Named after the tents in which they lived, they rulers were called the "Yellow Tent King," "White Tent King," who was the most powerful, and the "Black Tent King." Following the death of his wife, the White Tent King sent a parrot, magpie and crow to find him a beautiful bride. The crow reached the State of Ling and was astonished by Zholmo' s beauty. Hearing about Zholmo, the White Tent King launched a war against the State of Ling. With the help of traitors from the Ling state, the powerful king seized the region and kidnapped Zholmo.

When Gesar's magic spell was finally broken, he rushed back to the State of Ling to kill the White Tent King and rescue his wife.
To the southeast of the State of Ling was the State of Jiang, ruled by King Sadain -- a very greedy sorcerer, who tried to seize the State of Ling Saltern. Gesar sent Sinba, a former general of the State of Hor, to win over Yulha Toju, the son of Sadain, while the king led his troops to guard the saltern. With help from Yulha Toju, Gesar learned everything about Sadain. When the Jiang king was drinking water one day, Gesar changed his form into that of a tiny gold fish so he could enter Sadain's stomach undetected. Gesar then transformed himself into a large wheel that turned endlessly until Sadain surrendered.

The State of Moin was also an enemy of the Ling state, harassing and looting Ling when it was weak. When Ling grew in strength and had subdued three demons, Sinchi, king of the State of Moin, was the only demon left. Gesar then decided to bring down Sinchi and marry his beautiful daughter, Meido Zholma. Both men suffered greatly in the fierce fight that ensued, but Gesar managed to kill Sinchi in the end.

With the four demons eliminated, the State of Ling and its neighboring states enjoyed peace and prosperity.

Returning to heaven

When Gesar' s uncle stole some horses from the State of Dashi, both states saw red, which forced Gesar to take on the State of Dashi. Once again, Gesar emerged triumphant and scattered Dashi' s wealth among the people before returning to the State of Ling.

Having conquered Nepal, Korgas and some other small states, Chidain, king of the State of Kachi, sent his troops to invade the State of Ling. But Gesar retaliated and killed Chidain, distributing Chidain' s wealth among the people before returning to the State of Ling.

These events were followed by battles waged to defend the homeland or as an invitation by invaded neighboring states. Gesar won all of these battles and the State of Ling became very powerful.

When Gesar had completed his mission on the earth, he returned to heaven to join his mother and wife, Ngada Lhamo. And this marks the end of the great epic.

Brief features
(1) Figures

The portrayal of characters through dialogue, actions, and plot twists is characteristic of the epic. Based on its society, the epic sums up important stages in the development of Tibetan history and captures the lives of ordinary Tibetan people as well as hundreds of important figures. Whether hero or tyrant, male or female, young or old -- the characters have made a deep impression on readers with their clearly defined features and striking images. The heroic figures, led by King Gesar, provide immortal examples of valiant sacrifices. No two figures in the epic are identical. For instance, among the heroes, King Gesar is portrayed as a leader with a broad and long-term view and a bold vision; Manager King is described as a resourceful and kind man; Gyaica is expressed through his words and deeds as a brave man of strong character; and Dainma is described as both intelligent and courageous. The female figures are portrayed more elegantly, with vivid and lively characteristics. For instance, according to "Battles Between Hor and Ling," three kings of Hor sent armed forces to seize Zholmo, the wife of King Gesar. (When the wife of Hor's King Gurdkar died, four birds from Hor were sent to find the king most beautiful woman in the world -- who just happened to be Gesar's queen.)

(2) Rhetoric

King Gesar originated from ancient Tibet's ordinary society and had a deep grounding in ancient Tibetan literature, especially folk tales. Before the epic emerged, Tibetan literature boasted a numerous variety of richly woven works, especially folk and fairy tales, legends, traditional stories and poems. King Gesar drew much from previous literary works and carried forward the tradition of excellence via plot development, evolution, materials, and forms of expression, as well as ideology, religion and customs. The epic also borrowed a number of Tibetan proverbs that were cited in the original work or adapted later in the epic.

King Gesar has also preserved various traditional odes, such as the "Ode to Wine," "Ode to the Mountains," "Ode to Tea," "Ode to Horses," "Ode to Swords and Knives," "Ode to Dress," and "Ode to Armor."

The epic also combines many prose and verse styles. Its poetry links the ancient past with the modern age of Tibet's literary development. It reflects the importance of ideological and rhetorical methods, especially in terms of poetic rules and forms. Poems of this style are common in King Gesar : Not only do they follow a multiple paragraph pattern and a circular style characteristic of the Tubo period, but they also create a new style that uses eight-word stanzas instead of the former six-word stanzas (in the original Tibetan language). The rules and forms were basically fixed by the 11th century and have remained unchanged. This form is widely used in Tibetan folk songs, narrative poems, poems in lyrical stories, and Tibetan dramas, as well as in the works of scholars and poets. They have become the most influential and important rules and forms in Tibetan poetry.

By using verse, prose, lyrics and narration, the epic combines real stories, myths, poems, fables, proverbs and mottoes, making it an eclectic collection of Tibetan folk culture.
(Source: Tibetinfor.com)

Sangzhub master balladeer known to all

** Learning to sing

Sangzhub was born in Ru village, Qoinbo, Dengqen County of northern Tibet in 1922. Located between Nagqu and Qamdo, the village was frequented by merchants and Buddhist worshippers. Unlike people in other northern Tibet villages, the Ru people were very knowledgeable.

Sangzhub's grandfather, Lobsang Geleg, made a name for himself by exploiting the geographical advantages in business. He led a comparatively better life than other villagers who lived on farming and livestock breeding.

Lobsang Geleg was straightforward and loved drinking with visiting friends. After many cups of wine, he would perform segments of King Gesar . Gradually, many of Lobsang's friends and family members, including Sangzhub, learned to sing.

When the song reached its peak, Sangzhub knew that King Gesar was about to fight; when the tune became melodious, Sangzhub understood that King Gesar had won a battle. Before long, King Gesar became his hero.

Sangzhub was very sad when his grandfather died. In fact, he missed him so much that he stopped talking altogether. He especially missed his grandfather' s robust songs about King Gesar .

When Sangzhub was 11 years old he once went herding in the mountains. All of a sudden, the blue sky became overcast and it began to drizzle. Sangzhub then led his sheep to a comfortable and spacious cave to seek shelter and soon fell asleep.

But some evildoers crossed his path and started beating Sangzhub. Luckily, King Gesar came to his rescue and defeated the rogues with his bare fists. Although Sangzhub was very grateful to the king, he could not utter any words of thanks.

At that point, Sangzhub woke up to find that it was all just a dream.
He went back home in a trance, repeating what he had experienced in his mind over and over. Finally, his father brought him to the Living Buddha Ledain at the Zonghu Monastery for advice.

With the Buddha's good advice, Sangzhub remained in the monastery for recuperation. However, his dream recurred every night. In one dream, he was reading King Gesar with great interest, and when he woke up, his mind was filled with stories about the king.

When he had returned from the monastery, Sangzhub sang the epic of King Gesar from time to time, which made him feel very good. Gradually, he became a proficient King Gesar balladeer. Sangzhub's neighbors were astonished at his accomplishments and were very proud.

To make a living, Sangzhub traveled around the locality, following the flow of Buddhist worshippers and singing the great epic. Along the way, he also labored for the Tibetan troops. During these trips, Sangzhub came across many artists, and always listened carefully to what they sang, learning a great deal.

A few years later, Sangzhub became a master King Gesar balladeer. When he returned home, he was disappointed to see that everything remained unchanged: His parents still toiled in the fields, struggling to remain afloat. Sangzhub then decided to leave once again, but this time he never returned and did not maintain contact with his family.

He had a Gesar hat and walking stick made. The stick, complete with an iron ring at one end, took the shape of Gesar' s whip, which possessed magical powers and could even be used as a horse.

With the two magical weapons, Sangzhub sang King Gesar along the way. He became so popular that he was once invited to sing in one village when he was still singing in another.

Legend has it that Shannan Prefecture was ruled by King Sinchi, who was defeated in the war between the Moin and Ling tribes. Sangzhub understood this was why the locals, who were Moin descendants, did not like the epic. However, county officials and nobles loved to listen and they invited Sangzhub to sing for them anyway.

One day, Sangzhub followed some worshippers to the Lhagyiali Residence, which glistened like the Potala Palace, and was invited to sing at the residence.

Gyiali Chiqen was a well-known noble in Shannan: According to legend, he was the offspring of Songtsan Gambo. Sangzhub stayed at the residence for several days and was treated well. He sang "Ngada Lhamo" for Chiqen, capturing the hearts of the whole residence.

In a few days, Chiqen invited more people to listen to Sangzhub' s other songs, like "Karqi Yuzong."
Sangzhub remained at the residence for about one year, leading a comfortable life. Later, he followed Chiqen to Lhasa, where he continued to sing King Gesar . At first, Sangzhub stayed at the home of Chiqen' s relatives; later, he stayed at the residence of Soikang, a noted Lhasa noble.

Gradually, Sangzhub built up his fame.

** Language master

Many King Gesar balladeers came from Northern Tibet and Qamdo. However, as Sangzhub had covered many parts of Tibet, he had a good command of different dialects. Wherever he went, he tried his best to sing in the region's local dialect. When in Lhasa, he used the Lhasa dialect, which curried favor with local audiences.

Sometime later, Sangzhub leased a small house and visited nearby monasteries to sing for a living. Before long, he fell in love with a country girl, Giangyang Zholma, who was 14 years his junior. Finally, he married her at the age of 35.

Sangzhub brought his family to the semi-farming, semi-livestock-breeding area of Moinzhokungka, located near downtown Lhasa during the "democratic reforms'' (1959-1960). After the local government allotted his family a cow and some land, Sangzhub settled in the area with his family, working the field during the day and singing King Gesar for his neighbors in the evenings.

In the early 1980s, the central government implemented special policies in Tibet to fire up the Tibetans' enthusiasm for production. Farmers and herders became exempt from agricultural and livestock breeding taxes and the land and livestock were given back to individuals for household management. At that point, Sangzhub and his family owned one hectare of farmland, four horses, 30 sheep, 21 yaks and six cows. For Sangzhub, who had seven children, this was not enough. Yet, compared to his lot in the past, he was satisfied.

** Concentrating on singing

In 1985, Sangzhub was elected a member of the CPPCC Moinzhokungka Committee. Since he was now elderly, his children took over the fieldwork so he could concentrate on singing King Gesar .

The Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences asked Sangzhub to record his songs, to which he agreed. For many years, Sangzhub continued to record his works.
"Had it not been for the central government, I would not be able to live such a good life,'' said Sangzhub frequently. "I will repay the kindness of the government with my recorded songs."

To obtain quality sound, Sangzhub recorded his songs in a cave. Very often, he stayed there for a whole day. In a few years, Sangzhub finished recording 41 volumes of King Gesar in 1,989 tapes.

** Sangzhub's theory

According to Sangzhub, King Gesar has 18 large chapters, which recounted large-scale wars; 18 mid-sized chapters, which did not mention any large-scale wars; and 18 small chapters, which told of many different things.

Of the 18 large chapters, Sangzhub held that there were four chapters about fighting demons, and that all other wars broke out after these ones. Therefore, Sangzhub argued, the war against the demons played a vital role in King Gesar .

Yu Xixian, a master in the epic Gansu edition, held that the "Peace Reigning the Three Realms -- Heaven, Earth and Man" came after the 18 large chapters. In Sangzhub' s view, however, this referred to peace in India, Nepal and the Han area. According to Sangzhub, King Gesar conquered the areas neighboring the Ling State to bring peace to Ling before returning to the heavenly kingdom.

This section of Sangzhub' s works were recorded in 86 tapes.

** Deity teaches student

Sangzhub insisted that he learned to sing King Gesar from the deities. Before starting to sing, he closed his eyes and counted rosary beads in mediation, inviting deities to assist him. Only then was Sangzhub able to sing with great emotion.

"When I sing the role of Gesar' s enemies, I will do my best to fight Gesar,'' he often said, adding: "I will do that mercilessly."

Sangzhub hated it when others interrupted his singing. "When I sing, I am performing the mission entrusted by the deities,'' he explained.

Sangzhub once said: "I am old, and I have had 41 volumes of King Gesar recorded. However, none of my singing has been published in written form."

In March 1992, Sangzhub learned that he and 12 other balladeers would get the chance to have their songs published in written form with financial aid from the central government.

Recalling the news, the old man said he was very "relieved.''

In King Gesar's footsteps

Described as the home of the renowned historical hero King Gesar, where exactly is the State of Ling located?

Some say the area covered Dengke, Dege and even the bulk of the Kamba area; others say it lay in what is today's Sichuan area, drained by the Yellow River and comprising Norgyi, Hongyuan and Aba; others still favor Qubu as part of today's Gansu Province, where the Tibetan ethnic group lived as a compact community.

Other possibilities include today's Golog-Yushu area of Qinghai Province and the cross-border areas of Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces.

Books grappling with this issue include Questions and Answers by Somba Yexei Benjor, a historian from Qinghai Province of the 1760s; Natural Area of Dorkam by Ren Naiqiang, 1940; and A Study of King Gesar and Balladeers in Tibet and the Ling Edition of Tibetan King Gesar by R. A. Stein from France.

All three publications agree that the Ling State could have stretched from Aba in the east to Garze's Dengke in the west in today's Sichuan Province, and that its influence was even felt in Qinghai.

Concerning the recent studies about Gesar's birthplace, four experts from Qinghai went to Golog and Yushu in Qinghai in 1999, and Aba and Garze in Sichuan, where King Gesar is most popular.

Folklore and other materials collected by the experts convinced them that the hero's birthplace was Jisuya in Xiongbaji, Axu town, Dege County of Garze in Western Sichuan Province.

** Tale of Gesar
Axu town sits across the Zhaqu River on the upper reaches of the Yarlung River, located 207 kilometers away from the county seat. Dotted with fluttering sutra streamers, it is a world of natural phenomena, with many fish inhabiting its abundant rivers and lakes.

By chance, the four researchers met the Living Buddha Bagyia at the Chacha Monastery in Dege County at a bus stop some 20 kilometers from Axu town.

Saying that he loved King Gesar very much, Bagyia began to pour out everything that he had learned about Gesar.

According to local legend, Gesar was Dongzhu Zarbao, the eldest of the Heavenly King Baifan's 15 sons. He was considered the reincarnation of Master Padmasambhava, an Indian monk who spread Buddhism in Tibet. Facing the many demons, Gesar lifted the sufferers out of the abyss of misery.

In Jisuya, the researchers were told that Gesar was born on a Saturday in a yak-hair tent in Jisuya.

But others say that Gesar was actually born into a poor herder's family, and it is said the sky was covered in auspicious clouds and a rainbow when he was born. Gesar's mother, Gorsa, was laboring in the fields when she felt a sharp, sudden pain. She scrambled her way onto a large rock and gave birth to the great Gesar. She later discovered two deep footprints she made while climbing the rock.

There are other legends about the legendary Tibetan king's birthplace. One says that he was born by the Mamaoke Qu River to the south of the Bayankala Mountains on the border area of Yushu and Garze.

People there describe his birthplace in this way: "To the left of a cypress tree in a place resembling the tail of a horse; to the left of a bowl-like fountain that lies beneath a rock resembling an arrow."

Surprisingly, the area is located at the juncture of two rivers, where Gesar's mother put up her tent amid the ruins of the Sutra Hall of King Gesar. Behind the Sutra Hall is a rock that looks like an arrow, with the grasslands covering the rock resembling a piece of unfolded felt.

** Sutra Hall
Despite these speculations, researchers were led to a large rock said to be the place where Gorsa gave birth to Gesar in Dege County.

To commemorate Gesar's birth, local people built the Temple of King Gesar near the large rock. Today, the temple has been renamed the Sutra Hall of King Gesar.

Legend has it that the temple was built during the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

But some insist that it was erected during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) by Ling Gesgyia, the offspring of Wonbo Nganu Huasang -- one of the four major headmen from the Ling area. Ling Gesgyia was said to be one of Gesar's four bravest generals.

Moreover, the temple served as the family temple belonging to the Headman of Ling Cang, which has been documented in the Family Record of the Mobudong Tribe and that of Headman Ling Cang.

Before the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, the temple housed Gesar's ivory seal, the family records of Gesar's bailiff, Nganyichageng, arrows used by General Nyiancha Ngadain, armour and weapons used by Gesar, relics belonging to Gesar's father-in-law, a statue of Gesar's horse, and clay figurines of Dainma, Xinba and Zhumao.

In the temple were also frescoes depicting 30 generals of the State of Ling who served under Gesar's rule, 80 heroes who had distinguished themselves during the expeditionary war, 13 Buddhist guardians and 18 of Gesar's concubines. Other frescoes depict Gesar fighting his enemies.

Although the temple was damaged during the Cultural Revolution" (1966-1976), in 1987 the Government of Dege County earmarked some 30,000 yuan (US$3,600) for repairs.

After that, the living Buddha Bagyia managed to raise money for further renovations of the Sutra Hall of King Gesar, which was consecrated on August 8, 1999 (although Bagyia declined to serve as its abbot).

Today, Sutra Hall enshrines King Gesar's sculpture, with statues of 80 heroes behind him and his generals and concubines standing in front.

** Coincidence
Having examined the rock and the Sutra Hall of King Gesar, researchers have re-assessed the earlier scholarly works by Ren Naiqiang and Somba Yexei Banjor, whose speculations about Gesar's birthplace coincide with Bagyia's tales.

In this famous scholar's view, Gesar was a real person who lived in the Ling area of Kham.

"His birthplace lies in Lhagyixiong, where the three rivers - Yellow, Lancang River and Jinsha River - meet," said Somba Yexei Banjor. "It was to the left of the Dege Castle ... with a mirror-like lake. In the area is a square-shaped rocky mountain. In the center is a lawn where the parents of Gesar put up a tent."

The place was called "Ghinyi Maguanqi, according to Somba Yexei Banjor.

Ren Naiqiang is an accomplished Tibetologist and an expert in the study of King Gesar . His 1929 survey of the Kham area suggested that the present-day region under Headman Ling Cang in the Yarlung River Valley was called Xiongba.

"Gesar was born in the Chacha Temple," Ren wrote. "After his birth, grass and flowers thrived in the area all year round. The temple houses Gesar's weapons and an ivory seal but some of his belongings were moved by a magician lama to Xiangdana, located in Xiangqian County in Qinghai Province."

Li Ming, another scholar, lived in the Kham region for years. In 1942, he completed a survey in Dege and later studied Buddhist doctrines in a Zuqing Temple in the area.

"Gesar was born in an area east of Shiqu on the western banks of the Yarlung River. It was called Xiongba and was still under the jurisdiction of Headman Ling Cang who built the temple for his family," said Li, who also substantiates views by other scholars about a temple housing Gesar's weapons and an ivory seal, as well as Gesar's belongings being moved to Xiangdana by a lama with magic powers.

** Royal relics

In Tibetan, "Dege" means "a kind area." The region is full of cultural relics that legends say belonged to King Gesar.

Rocks prints: About two kilometers away from the Sutra Hall of King Gesar is a large rock with an imprint of the bottom half of a boy. Legend has it that Gesar, who possessed magical powers, conquered three demon birds when he was only three years old.

Fountain: To the left of the Sutra Hall of King Gesar is a fountain that gushes crystal clear waters. The rock print and the fountain found their way into the legend of the birth of the hero, King Gesar.
Researchers attempted to sample the fountain waters, but Bagyia stopped them explaining that the fountain would become contaminated and eventually dry up.

Gege Mountain: In the Tamranma Mountain in Gyike, Shiqu County, more than 150 kilometers north of Dege County, is a mountain mouth called "Gege." Legend has it that Gesar's uncle tried to murder the boy here based on advice from a sorcerer.

Upon learning the news, Gesar fought the sorcerer, who fled to the mountains. When he saw Gesar in the distance, he uttered "Ge Ge."

From then on, the mountain mouth had acquired its name. There is also a rock there resembling the sorcerer.

Other places said to be related to King Gesar include an ancient castle and temples with his armor.

Based on folklore and research, the experts concluded that the legendary King Gesar was born in the 11th century in today's Jisuya at Xiongbaji, Axu town, in Dege County of Garze.

Born into poverty, Gesar spent his childhood as a shepherd. He later married Zholmo and united with her brother to build an army of 30 generals and tens of thousands of soldiers. After defeating their enemies, they established the State of Ling, which is now the Ozhu Township in Dege County.

With Ozhu as his base, Gesar fought in present-day Golog, Yushuo, Garze, Xinlong, Daofu, Seda, Luohuo, Aba and Qamdo. His generals were given land in Baiyu, Dengke, Shiqu, Golog, Yushu and Qamdo.

During his twilight years, Gesar decided to leave Qamdo and return home.

When he reached Dengke, his horse was startled by a dog and the king fell to the ground and died.

Gesar's offspring, who took over his reign, were known as Headman Ling Cang during the Yuan (1279-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, and the period between 1912 and 1949.