A Brief Introduction to the Birthplace of King Ling Gesar (Axu grassland)

King Ling Gesar was born in 1038 (the first Rabjung Year of the Earth Tiger in the Tibetan calendar). His father was Sengchen, the youngest lineage king of Ling, and his mother was Gotsa Lhamo. At the time of his birth, the great master Atisha was 57 years old, and the renowned translator Marpa was 27. King Gesar passed away in 1119 (the second Rabjung Year of the Earth Pig in the Tibetan calendar).

As a child, Gesar was called Joru. Since his mother, Gotsa Lhamo, was not Sengchen's principal wife, the mother and son lived in a small, modest tent near Sengchen’s main tent, leading a life of poverty. When Joru turned six, he began to exhibit unusual behavior and often clashed with his uncle, Darong Choten Wang. At Darong Wang's request, the king of Ling convened the ministers and officials, who decided to expel Joru and his mother from Ling.

In 1045, Joru and his mother left Ling and settled in Mame Yulong Songdo. Later, when the aging chief of Ling needed to determine which branch of Ling’s three lineages—elder, middle, or younger—would inherit the throne, and who would marry the daughter of the Gajalo family, disputes arose. Eventually, it was decided that a horse race would determine the next king of Ling, and all male descendants of the Ling family were eligible to compete. It was also explicitly stated that no one of Ling descent should be excluded from the race.

In 1049 (the Year of the Earth Ox in the Tibetan calendar), while Joru and his mother were still living in Mame Yulong Songdo, a messenger from the younger lineage of Ling was sent to invite Joru to participate in the horse race. Although Joru and his mother lived in poverty, they had a fine chestnut horse. Due to destiny, divine prophecies, and other factors, Joru traveled back to Ling, participated in the horse race, and emerged victorious. In 1050, he ascended to the throne, becoming the King of Ling and earning the title "Ling Gesar."

At the time, Tibet was in a period of fragmentation. In regions such as Shangshung and Ladakh, there were tribes that revered Bon and opposed Buddhism. Nearby areas like Jiang and Sopo were plagued by dark forces that harmed living beings. King Gesar used his strength to conquer these malevolent forces, spread the teachings of Buddhism, and benefit all sentient beings.
Many scholars later composed the famous epic of King Gesar, chronicling his heroic deeds, including his conquest of 18 great tribes and 25 smaller ones. Additionally, many ordinary people received mystical teachings and became storytellers, passing down the epic of King Gesar through oral traditions.

The birthplace of King Ling Gesar is located on the Axu Grasslands near Lingtsang Chacha Monastery in Dege County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The exact location is a place called Jisuyag Kangdo, where two streams meet, flowing gently, two grasslands lie like carpets, and two cliffs face each other like arrow feathers. It is near a rock shaped like a giant frog, at the back entrance of the treasure vault of the Dragon King Zuna, where King Gesar was born.

To this day, the area still holds remnants of his legendary deeds, such as the footprints left by his divine horse, the traces of his mother setting up a tent, and the site of Joru defeating the three demon brothers known as Black Ravens. There are also ruins of caves where he subdued Gongpa Ranza in Zhanalong, evidence of his victory over the demon Kektsen Ruru in the Xiqiong Nibi Gorge, and remnants of the castle at Guoda on Andong Mountain in Jiyimanlong Valley, where Joru and his mother once lived.

In addition, a rebuilt King Gesar Memorial Hall stands in the area. The hall contains statues of King Gesar and his 30 heroic warriors, including the three eagle-wolf warriors led by Chakshong Dama, the seven elite soldiers led by Gacha, the eight deities of Ling led by Brahma, the eight heroines of neighboring lands led by Senshang Jumu, and the 80 great achievers.