King Gesar Horse Race and War Dance / Kham

King Gesar Ballad from Kham, E. Tibet.
King Gesar —— World's Longest Epic
In Tibetan-inhabited areas, the name Gesar is a household word. The epic of King Gesar has him descending to earth at the behest of the God of Mercy to rule Tibet and to defeat demons. Originating from oral folklore, the tales of Gesar have been passed down through generations for over 1,000 years. It is the longest and last living epic in the world, containing over 20 million words in more than one million verses -- 25 times the length of Homer's Iliad. This long and detailed legend with its magnificent structure fills vast volumes, and is the greatest and richest work of Tibetan literature, guiding many Tibetan believers with its wealth of knowledge. Its widespread influence makes it a goldmine for researchers of ancient Tibetan history and society. The epic also interweaves myths with tales of magic and at the same time encodes a wealth of cultural material. It is considered to be not only the greatest accomplishment of the ancient folk culture of the Tibetans, but also a great contribution to human civilization. It was listed by the Chinese government as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006, and in September 2009, UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctenglis).
The ethnic Tibetan, Mongolian and Tu communities in western and northern China share the story of the ancient hero King Gesar, sent to heaven to vanquish monsters, depose the powerful, and aid the weak while unifying disparate tribes. The singers and storytellers who preserve the Gesar epic tradition perform episodes of the vast oral narrative (known as 'beads on a string') in alternating passages of prose and verse with numerous regional differences. Tibetan masters carry bronze mirrors and use facial expressions, sound effects and gestures to enhance their singing, while Mongolian performers are accompanied by fiddles and intersperse improvised, melodic singing with musical storytelling and oral narrative. Epic performances, often accompanied by rituals such as offerings and meditation, are embedded in the religious and daily lives of the community. For example, when a child is born, passages about King Gesar's descent into the world are sung. The hundreds of myths, folktales, ballads and proverbs handed down as part of the tradition not only serve as a form of major entertainment in rural communities but also educate listeners in history, religion, custom, morality and science. A continuing inspiration for thangka painting, Tibetan opera and other art forms, the Gesar epic imbues audiences both young and old with a sense of cultural identity and historical continuity (http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?RL=00204).

Category:

Music

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