Material: Silk. Three-dimensional embroidery. Printing

Size: 100 x 70 cm

Narrative:

**King Gesar**, he is a legendary hero in Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan culture, and is known as the protagonist of the world's longest epic.

**The story and origin of King Gesar**

The legend of King Gesar originated in Tibet, Mongolia and Central Asia, and is widely circulated among the Tibetan, Mongolian and Tu ethnic groups. The epic tells the heroic deeds of Gesar, the king of the Ling Kingdom, who is regarded as the embodiment of Buddhism and is tasked with conquering demons, unifying the tribes and promoting the Dharma.

**Story Synopsis**

- The birth of King Gesar was believed to be arranged by the gods. He was born in Ling State and went into exile due to persecution when he was young.

- **At the age of 12, he participated in the horse race to choose the king. With his excellent riding skills and courage, he won the throne** and began to conquer all over the world.

- He conquered the Black Demon Ruzan, the Kingdom of Hor, the Kingdom of Jiang (Yunnan) and the Kingdom of Men (in the foothills of the Himalayas) in the north, and established the rule of the Kingdom of Ling.

- King Gesar entered hell at the age of 80, rescued his wife and mother, and eventually returned to heaven.

HISTORICAL IMPACT

The story of King Gesar may have originated during the second introduction of Tibetan Buddhism into Tibet and was influenced by the Kadampa school. The earliest manuscripts probably appeared in the **11th century**, and the first printed version was a Mongolian edition published in Beijing in **1716**.

This epic is not only an important part of Tibetan culture, but has also influenced the folklore of Mongolians, Bhutan, and other regions. To this day, there are still many rap artists who pass on this epic in an oral form, making it one of the longest heroic epics in the world.