The pieces selected for the Beijing exhibition, featuring 2m-tall by 1.4m-wide Thangkas, aims to convey a complete account of The Epic of King Gesar, says 50-year-old Genqiu Tashi, the founder of the King Gesar Epic Thangka Painting Series and deputy director of Ling State King Gesar Culture Co Ltd in Garze, the project's key organizer. In 2002, the prefecture's government gave the company 70 percent control over the project, which was initiated in 1999.

Born in a small village in Derge, the westernmost city in Sichuan, also considered to be the hometown of King Gesar, Genqiu was only a few years old when he first heard ballad singing of the legendary ruler who conquered devils and brought prosperity and happiness to the people.

"Love for The Epic of King Gesar is deeply rooted in my heart," says Genqiu.

Through his teenage years, Genqiu traveled on his own, visiting and learning from painting masters in various villages and monasteries. At a ripe 21 years, he assumed the position of chief art tutor for monk students at the world-famous Derge Sutra Printing Institute.

In the years following, he joined all major conservation efforts for damaged murals and ancient Thangkas in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Sichuan, Tibet and western China. During his journeys, the artist was struck by the beauty seen in the scared art collections of several monasteries that held ancient Thangka masterpieces about King Gesar.

"One day, I suddenly hit upon an idea: Can I paint a series of Thangkas by myself to tell the whole story of King Gesar? " recalls Genqiu.

He also wanted to project to bring attention to the vanishing Thangka presence.

"It will help more people who do not speak Tibetan access the fantastic stories of King Gesar. The Epic is more than folk tales. It is like an oral encyclopedia about Tibetan culture and history," he says.