The story has been most popular among Tibetan and Mongolian ethnic groups. And the DVDs are a recording of the epic as it has prevailed with the Mongolian minority. (Photo source cnr.cn)

The epic King Gesar has been passed down orally in China's ethnic groups since ancient times, mainly in regions where ethnic Tibetans and Mongolians live.

Hailed as the most voluminous oral epic in the world, King Gesar was listed as a World Intangible Heritage in 2009. And now, the legend can be seen on DVD, bringing it to a much larger audience.

King Gesar is about the legendary hero's feats to defeat demons, beat tyrants and invaders, and create a harmonious life for his people.

The story has been most popular among Tibetan and Mongolian ethnic groups. And the DVDs are a recording of the epic as it has prevailed with the Mongolian minority.

Siqin Menghe, vice secretary of King Gesar protection team, said, After 30 years of efforts, the protection of the Tibetan version of King Gesar has made big breakthroughs, while the protection of the Mongolian version has lagged behind. This production fills in the gap a lot.

The one-hundred hour long TV production King Gesar was recorded in the Balin Right Banner region of Inner Mongolia, where the epic is believed to have originated.

The production encapsulates the region's religion, local customs, folk wisdom, and the collective memory of the legendary hero.

Having lived as a performing art, the collected script of King Gesar is as long as 120 volumes.