The Epic of King Gesar

The Epic of King Gesar

The Epic of King Gesar originated in the tribal era of Tibet in China and has been passed down for over a thousand years. As it was transmitted, its oral performers constantly enriched its content, and it continues to be updated to this day. As a result, the Epic of King Gesar has become the world's longest epic poem, spanning 600,000 lines, and it is also the world's only living epic poem, hailed as the "The Iliad of the East."

the Epic of King Gesar is a legendary tale that recounts the birth, military campaigns, and return to heaven of King Gesar of Ling, in the eastern part of Tibet. Many years ago, the Tibetan region was divided into numerous small kingdoms, struggling and constantly at war with each other. King Gesar was born into this world and led his army to conquer demons and evil spirits, bringing peace and prosperity to the people. Later, at the age of 80, King Gesar rescued his wife and mother from hell and returned to heaven.

It combines poetry and prose, and singing and recitation, weaving together stories, myths, poems, fables, proverbs, and maxims from real life. It represents the highest achievement of ancient Tibetan culture and serves as an encyclopedia for studying the history of ancient Tibetan society. In 2009, the "Gesar Epic Tradition" was listed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

《格萨尔》

《格萨尔》始于中国西藏地区的部落时代，至今已流传1000多年。在传播过程中，说唱艺人不断丰富其内容，至今还在更新。因此，《格萨尔》以长达60万诗行成为世界上最长的史诗，同时也是世界上唯一的活态史诗，被誉为“东方荷马史诗”。

《格萨尔》讲述了西藏东部岭国国王格萨尔的降生、征战和返回天界的故事：很久以前，藏区分裂成无数小国，征战不休，苦难深重。格萨尔王降临人间，率领岭国部队降妖除魔，使百姓过上了安宁日子。后来在80岁时，格萨尔王救出身陷地狱的妻子和母亲，回到天上。

《格萨尔》运用诗歌和散文、吟唱和道白相结合的方式，将现实生活中的故事、神话、诗歌、寓言、谚语、格言等融为一体，代表着古代藏族文化的最高成就，是研究古代藏族社会历史的一部百科全书。2009年，“格萨尔史诗传统”入选联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。