Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project © Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project © Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project View all images ↓
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  • Dates
    2017 - Ongoing
  • Author
  • Topics Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, Documentary, Landscape, Portrait
  • Locations Qinghai Sheng, Sichuan

I have been tracing clues from the ancient Tibetan epic King Gesar, and visit many relics from epic stories in Qinghai, Sichuan and Tibet, exploring the bundary both geographically and mentally between surreal myth and current reality.

“King Gesar” is the most well-known Tibetan ethnic epic in China and the longest of its kind in human history, it tells the legend of the King Gesar, a half-human half deification hero who was the reincarnation of Padmasambhava in Tibetan Buddhism. He defeated evil demonds and enemies, saved many lives of its people, and unified a hundred of tribes into the Kingdom of Ling. The epic reflects history, social-political transition and people's way of life in the Tibetan Plateau.

From 2017 onward, i have been tracing stories from different chapters of the epic, travelled to many relics in Qinghai, Sichuan and Tibet, where believed to be the birthplace of the epic, exploring the bundary both geographically and mentally between surreal myth and current reality. The project is aim to document the spiritual and socio-political landscape of modern Tibetan ethnic group in western China, to put questions on what remain or lost for the people who live in this territory under constantly social transition and modernization.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A view of the Gesar Archery Platform at the source of the Yellow River. Maduo, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China. 2017. In the epic, King Gesar repels the demons and powerful enemies besieging in this territory.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A monk worships the statue of King Gesar in a temple. Qumalai, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China, 2018.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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An elder tibetan pilgrim on his way to "Kora", which mean wandering through the holy mountains . Most of tibetan are devout buddist. Maduo county, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China. The photo was taken in March, 2018.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A tibetan man poses for a photo near Da'na mountain. Nang qian, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China. 2017.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A tibetan family dig water wells around a village, in order to fetch water for daily usage, Nangqian, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province. 2017.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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From left to right, 10-year-old Dambe Tetsko, 18-year-old Khanun, 15-year-old Me Dorji and 12-year-old laktse. They are brothers and sisters of a eight member tibetan nomads family on prairie over 4300m of average altitude, the whole family lives in a shabby tent provided by local government, both of them are albino patient and lack of treatment and basic protection as there is no formal hospital around the area, their father died from Hepatic echinococcosis at age of 42, the whole family is now rely on their mother and some cows, poverty and ineducation remind of most serious problem of tibetan area, where 80% of people living under poverty line. Sang-rima town, Qinghai province, China, 2018. The photo was taken in August, 2018.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A newly married couple pose for a portrait after their wedding. Yushu city. Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China. 2019.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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Gesar epic minstrel representives attend the opening ceremony of yearly Horse Racing Festival at a stadium. Yushu, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China. 2018.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A young horse rider with tibetan shotgunand interacts with spectators during the yearly Horse Racing Festival at the Yushu racing yard. Yushu, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China. 2018.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A young monk stand beside an statue of Sleeping Buddha under construction. Yushu city, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China. The photo was taken in August, 2019.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A tibetan girl in the local museum. Yushu city, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China. The photo was taken in August, 2019.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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People enjoy their time playing Chinese ring games on a local fair, the owner put many different merchandises from toys to household electrical appliances in order to attract potential players. Yushu, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, Qinghai province, China, 2018.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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An elderly tibetan man stands in front of a butcher's shop. Da’ri, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China. 2024.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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Tibetan men play archery. Da’ri, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China. The photo was taken in August, 2018.

© Hao Wu - A tibetan man sits on a hill. Dari, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China. 2024.
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A tibetan man sits on a hill. Dari, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China. 2024.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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Tibetan girls work out in a gym. Yu shu citiy, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yu Shu, Qinghai province, China. The photo was taken in November, 2019.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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Tibetan women wash clothes with a washing machine in front of their house. Ganzi, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, Sichuan province, China. 2023.

© Hao Wu - A tibetan man holds a skull bone of Yak. Shiqu, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, Sichuan province, China. 2023.
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A tibetan man holds a skull bone of Yak. Shiqu, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, Sichuan province, China. 2023.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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A young immigrant stands in front of a series of newly-built residential district in Da’ri county, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China, 2018.

© Hao Wu - Image from the Gesar - From heroic land to tibetan odyssey of modernization photography project
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Young tibetan men pose for a photo in front of the King Gesar's Lion and Dragon Palace. Da’ri, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog, Qinghai province, China. 2024.