Surrounded by snowy mountains, the Tibetan Plateau is the highest place on our planet. People call it the place closest to the sun.

On this ancient and magical land, which lies so near the sun, a timeless legend has been passed down through generations. From the sources of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers to the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin; from the Jinsha, Lancang, and Nu River valleys to the Shiquan, Xiangquan, and Peacock Rivers; from the Animaqin, Tanggula, Kunlun, and Himalaya mountains to the surrounding regions; from the Gyarong area to the Ali Plateau; from the picturesque Zoige Grassland to the vast and boundless grasslands of northern Tibet; from the endless Guoluo and Yushu grasslands to the warm and humid Menyu region; from the colorful Derge and Seda to the spring-like warmth of Bomi and Nyingchi; from Qinghai Lake at the source of the Three Rivers to the magical and beautiful Yamdrok Lake; from the Dadu River and Jinsha River valleys to the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon—the deepest canyon in the world—Tibetan ancestors have, for generations, told and retold an epic poem. This poem, passed down through the ages, is called Gesar.

A long, long time ago, between the northern polar region and the heavenly lake, the land was lush with plants and filled with fierce beasts. In the middle of a canyon, there was a giant black boulder shaped like a yak. Under the boulder were three iron scorpions, tightly coiled together, each biting the tail of the other. They were trapped, unable to free themselves, and suffered greatly.

One day, a Vajra (a divine being) came from Mount Wutai in the east. Seeing the three scorpions trapped under the boulder, he felt compassion for them. He threw his iron staff at the boulder, shattering it into pieces. The three scorpions were freed and felt immense joy. They prayed to the heavens for salvation and hoped to be liberated from their suffering forever.However, due to the heavy sins they had committed in their past lives, they were reincarnated as a nine-headed snow boar. Their new form was ugly, clumsy, and pitiful to behold, adding to their misery.

In the realm of the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Brahma King witnessed this scene and saw it as an ominous sign. He immediately swung his crystal sword and cut off all nine heads of the snow boar in one strike. The heads transformed instantly into four black heads, three red heads, one multicolored head, and one white head.As the four black heads rolled down the hill, they prayed to the heavens, saying: "We are the spirits of demons. May we, in our next lives, become enemies of virtuous deeds and good karma¹, and rulers of the world." True to their wish, these four black heads were reborn as the four kings of the northern demon kingdoms: King Lutsan, the White Tent King of the Hor Kingdom, King Sadan of the Jiang Kingdom, and King Xinchi of the Men Kingdom.

Thus, they became the Four Great Demon Kings, who brought chaos to the world and caused endless suffering to living beings.

The three red heads rolled down the hill. The first red head rolled into the hilly region and was later reborn as Sinbamey Ruzé. The second red head rolled up a mountain and was reborn as the monk Sangye Gyä. The third red head was eventually reborn as Tangze Yuzhou of the Hor Kingdom.

The multicolored head rolled far away, praying as it went: "May I be reborn in a land where good karma and virtuous deeds flourish." Later, it was born in the Ling Kingdom as Chexi Guru, but it was unable to achieve great deeds.

The last white head threw a yellow flower into the sky and prayed sincerely: "May I be reborn as a warrior who defeats the black demons, a teacher who saves all beings, and a king who rules the world." His compassion moved the heavens, and he was reborn as the great hero Gesar, a name known far and wide for his bravery and greatness.

At that time, the sky above the snowy land was suddenly shrouded in mist. A gray and murky haze spread across the once-clear, tranquil blue sky. Strange flashes of black, white, purple, and red light appeared intermittently, scattering in all directions around Lingkarbu, only to vanish as quickly as they came. Wherever these lights touched, they left deep, black marks. Anything they struck turned to ash or charred remains.

Soon after, chaos spread across the land. Wild animals fled in panic, crops withered, grass and trees dried up, livestock grew weak and sick, and harvests failed. These ominous signs plunged the people into great fear and despair.

Annotation:
¹ Good karma (referred to as “white karma” in Buddhist teachings) represents positive, beneficial actions that lead to good outcomes. The black heads’ desire to become enemies of good karma and virtuous deeds highlights their demonic nature and serves as a dramatic inversion of values in the story.

Amitabha Buddha, while turning his prayer beads, realized that this was an omen of the reincarnation of the four black heads. They were destined to become the Four Great Demon Kings: the Northern Demon King Lutsan, the White Tent King of the Hor Kingdom, King Sadan of the Jiang Kingdom, and King Xinchi of the Men Kingdom. These demon kings would destroy virtuous deeds and good karma, bringing immense harm to the common people. The black-haired Tibetan people of the Snowy Land would fall into a deep abyss of suffering.

Reciting a mantra, Amitabha Buddha sent a beam of divine light down to the Palace of Infinite Light on the Ox-Tail Continent. Seeing this, Pema Totreng Tsen, the ancestral master, clasped his hands together in reverence and welcomed the divine light. He saw a Vajra placed on an eight-petaled lotus, radiating five-colored light. He memorized the teachings of Amitabha Buddha, waiting for the destined day to arrive.

In the years that followed, the black-haired Tibetans of the Snowy Land lived as if in a bottomless abyss. Misfortune struck them at every moment, and resentment and anger filled the air. This gave rise to evil winds that swept through the land, bringing sin and demons with them. The once-clear skies turned dark, the lush green grasslands withered to yellow, and even kind-hearted people became cruel and wicked. Chaos erupted everywhere, with wars breaking out and smoke of conflict filling the air.

The people of the land prayed to the heavens for help, pleading for the compassionate deities to save them from their suffering.

The gods, moved by the people’s sincere prayers and filled with pity for their suffering, resolved to destroy the demons and bring peace to all beings. To this end, the gods performed three rituals to subdue the demons, hoping to bring happiness back to the people. However, wicked ministers in the royal court, burdened by their own sins, did everything they could to obstruct the rituals. As a result, the rituals to subdue the demons could not be completed.
The missed opportunity to defeat the demons allowed them to grow even stronger. They invaded deeper into the heart of the Snowy Land from its borders. Groups of demons roamed unchecked, committing countless atrocities. They ate human flesh, drank human blood, devoured bones, and peeled off skin. The once-sunny, beautiful, and prosperous Snowy Land became a sea of suffering, and the once-peaceful people faced unprecedented destruction and despair.