The Tibetan Gesar Epic beyond Its Bards: An Ecosystem of Genres on the Roof of the World

Abstract

This paper examines the Tibetan Gesar epic beyond its text and bards. It begins with a synopsis of the epic itself and reviews some of the multilingual literature on the Gesar tradition with attention to translations, storytellers and poetics, and questions of historicity. But heritage regimes shape broader knowledge of traditional practices. Using proverbs and localized micro-narratives, this paper recognizes an ecosystem of Gesar-related genres, suggesting how epic knowledge extends beyond heritage epistemologies.

The story of King Gesar: using the gamification of traditional ethnic cultural heritage to improve the spread of traditional Tibetan culture among Tibetans

“…The incorporation of elements of modern history, such as the inclusion of Nazis in some versions of the epic, only serves to highlight the continued relevance and resonance of the Gesar story (Thurston, 2018).…”