The way the project unfolded is a fascinating tale in itself. Academic researchers in Tibet have visited 57 local ballad singers. The researchers listened to the epic tale and recorded five thousand hours of narrative.

The complete tale was recorded in 45 episodes by an 86 year old. His name is Samzhub and he's one of the 140 or so, surviving singers of the the King Gesar Ballad. Thirty publications have been produced in China's campaign over three decades to preserve the 1-Million line, thousand year old Tibetan epic.

The exhibition continues at the Cultural Palace for Nationalities right through the Olympic Games, until the end of August.

(CCTV August 1, 2008)