The successive abbots of Dzogchen Monastery have always placed great importance on Gesar culture. The First Dzogchen Rinpoche authored The Ling Treasure of Dase Wealth, a section of The Epic of King Gesar. Patrul Rinpoche wrote the section The Conflict of Sindan. Khenchen Pema Vajra composed The Snow Mountain Crystal Fortress. Mipham Rinpoche compiled King Gesar's protector prayers and created popular poems such as The Song of Ling Dance to praise King Gesar. The Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche also composed King Gesar's protector prayers and created the Gesar Tibetan Opera.
The renowned scholar and khenpo of the monastery, Ju Mipham Rinpoche, composed a series of prayer offerings, such as King Gesar, the Vajra Long-Life King, which had a profound influence across various Tibetan Buddhist schools. These prayers became part of the monastery's protective deity rituals and are still practiced by teachers and monks today.

Ju Mipham Rinpoche also created an unprecedented dance called "Lingdrok Dechen Ngarmo" (King Gesar Dance), which is still performed in some monasteries and Tibetan communities. Inspired by this rich cultural atmosphere, the Fifth Zhugqing Rinpoche, Thupten Chokyi Dorje (1872–1933), developed Gesar monastery dances. For the first time, the epic storytelling of Gesar was transformed into a form of monastery dance art. King Gesar and his generals were visualized through material representations like costumes and masks, bringing them to life for the audience.

The Origin of Gesar DanceIt is said that Thupten Chokyi Dorje often contemplated how to portray the images of King Gesar and his generals through ritual dances. One night, he had a vision of King Gesar, his 80 generals, 7 heroines, 13 warrior deities, and their unique appearances, including skin tones, horse colors, saddles, and weapons. This vision inspired him to create the Gesar Dance. Soon after, craftspeople were organized to make masks, costumes, and props for the 80 generals of Ling. Once completed, these were used in the first performance of the Gesar Dance in the monastery courtyard, which received great acclaim.

The Gesar Dance became a tradition and was included in the monastery's annual rituals. It was performed on the last day of the Vajrakilaya puja. Historical records show that the dance spread to other monasteries, such as Zuona Monastery in Guide County, Qinghai. Although the dance was interrupted during the Cultural Revolution, it was revived in the early 1980s.

Unique Style of Gesar DanceThe Gesar Dance of Dzogchen Monastery shares stylistic similarities with the monastery's Vajra Dance. It is a ritualistic masked dance with a specific ceremonial structure. During performances, 80 generals of Ling wear elaborate costumes and masks, dancing to the rhythm of traditional monastery instruments. The 13 warrior deities also appear, with each general performing unique movements. The dance is a combination of individual and group performances, often arranged in circular formations.

The dance has also influenced mounted performances of King Gesar, where the art form is presented on horseback. This unique style of Gesar performance has remained exclusive to monasteries and has not spread to secular communities because of its religious and ritualistic nature.

Relationship Between Monastic Dances and Tibetan OperaHistorically, monastic dances (Cham) and Tibetan opera have shared deep cultural roots, both originating from ancient Tibetan traditions. However, they developed into two distinct forms over time. Monastic dances like Cham are religious ritual dances, while Tibetan opera is a form of theater with literary scripts. Tibetan opera focuses on themes, characters, plots, dialogue, and structure, serving as the foundation for stage performances.

Therefore, Gesar dances and Gesar Tibetan opera are two different art forms. Their methods of performance and transmission are also distinct. While Gesar dances are ritualistic and preserved within monasteries, Gesar Tibetan opera has a broader literary and theatrical focus.

Dzogchen Monastery, deeply connected to King Gesar, holds special celebrations every year on the first day of the second month of the Tibetan calendar. At dawn, the monks recite King Gesar's rituals, and during the day, they perform the Gesar Tibetan Opera. Dzogchen Monastery's Gesar Tibetan Opera is considered the oldest, attracting thousands of devotees who come to watch it.