File photo shows actors performing the "King Gesar" epic in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Jan. 12, 2016. (Xinhua/Wang Di)
XINING, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- A book series on the Tibetan epic King Gesar has been published, a Qinghai provincial center for the protection and research of the Epic of King Gesar said on Tuesday.
The collection, consisting of five volumes totaling 1.14 million words, was compiled based on the existing versions and new discoveries from folktale stories, songs, and written materials about King Gesar, said Changchub Tsering, an associate researcher of the center.
The books can be regarded as supplementary research of the classic Epic of King Gesar, and the publication is sponsored by a national project designated for protecting intangible cultural heritage, Changchub Tsering added.
The Epic of King Gesar is generally considered the world's longest folk epic, telling the story of how an 11th century Tibetan demigod king conquered his enemies and helped ordinary people.
Listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009, the epic has been passed down orally by singers, herders, and farmers from provinces and regions including Qinghai, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia. ■
