King Gesar is a heroic epic collectively created by Tibetans. In the days before writing, Tibetans used the medium of collective memory to record and transmit cultural information about their forebears. Their heroic epic King Gesar is a prime example of Tibetan creativity interacting with collective memory. Originating in 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 200 volumes, with more than one million verses far longer than Homer's Iliad or India's epic Ramayana. King Gesar, the greatest work of Tibetan literature, is the longest epic in the world.

Gesar's origins can be traced back to the headwaters of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers in Qinghai. It is an epic of heroism; however, it does not confine itself to the warrior experience but also reflects the real life of people in ancient Tibet. The epic reflects the history and culture of different historical periods and has become encyclopedia on the history of Tibet.

The genesis, circulation, evolution and development of King Gesar is a rare cultural phenomenon of Tibetan history. It has been on the lips of the people for more than 1,000 years, spanning the ages between slaves, feudal and socialist societies.

The epic tells how the people of the State of Ling, under the command of King Gesar, fight the demons in defense of their own country and in a bid to live a happy life. The first chapter of the epic says,"Because demons from all directions have disrupted the peaceful life of the people, Gesar decides to come down to the earth to conquer the demons so that people can live in peace." Gesar declares, "I come down to curtail the strong and help the weak ...I will eliminate the evil king and suppress the cruel demons and tyrants ...I will force the demons in power to bow down their heads and support those who have been humiliated." In the part on conquering the demons, Gesar refuses the advice of his officials and the remonstrations of his beloved wife, insisting on making the expedition to eliminate the king of demons"who eats 100 adults for his breakfast, 100 boys for lunch and 100 girls for supper." He declares that he does not have private enemy or private law. Gesar is therefore called the "captain for saving all lives, a sun that shines on humanity, a hero for protecting the Tibetan people and an envoy for guarding Sakyamuni." In the part "Becoming King," he is called a Buddha on earth, eternal sky-propping magic pillar, protector of the black-headed Tibetans, the God for salvaging the present world, the grandmaster for directing the future, a treasure for presenting achievements to the common people, a hero capable of conquering all evils, and a commander of all successes and happiness.