Gzi (An arrary of various types of Gzi beads)
The sites yielding Gzi beads and the circumstances under which these beads were found are heavily invested with mythological and legendary elemetns. Given below are the legends associated with the origin of Gzi beads:
1. Plankton from the Tethys Sea
In very ancient times, the land on which now stands Tibet was a vas inland sea know as Tethys Sea. Gzi were microscopic organisms drifting in the sea. In their original form, they were like mollusks and conches with a fleshy body protected by a shell. They could move about freely. Later, as a result of prodigious geological upheaval, the seabed was thrust skyward to become the Himalyayas. The plankton died, their flesh dried up and their shells turned into Gzi beads.

2. Painted stones from India
A couple dwelling in the Himalayas painted designs onto a unique kind of stone from India to create Gzi beads. Since painting such stones involved elaborate skill and learning such skill was extremely difficult, the skill was lost after the death of the couple.

3. Meteorites from outer space
Meteorites fell from outer space onto the fields were refined and tempered into Gzi beads by yogic practitiioners.

4. Snake-like living things
Gzi are living things that could move about like a snake. When they are found and touched, they will stop moving and turn into a string of Gzi beads. legend alleges that where horses rest with their legs thrown up to the sky, there are Gzi beads nearby.

5. Appear in fields and in the dune of cattle and sheep
Gzi beads are ancient relics buried deep underground but geological movements in the course of time expose them on the earth. They are picked up by farmer during fieldwork. There are also tibetan nomads trying to search the dune of the animals they grazed in the meadows in hope of finding Gzi beads.

6. Petrified insects, or the crystallized fossil of the sacred Khyang bird

7. Insects that can fly, run and crawl
Lamas use their long sleeves to strike down those flying and running insects which then harden into Gzi beads. As for those crawling on the ground, men will throw sand onto them to immobilize them. Then they will harden into Gzi beads. If the sand fails to hit them, they will disappear.

8. Gzi meadows
there are several Gzi meadows in Tibet. It is said that people with merits would see them flying above the meadow. After being captured they will turn into fossils.

9. Weapon of Asura
Asura belongs to one of the six classes of living beings. Its abode is deep in the ocean to the north of Mt. Sumera, the center of the Buddhis world. Asura always acts against the Sakyamuni Buddha and does not listen to the Buddha's words. Therefore it si considered a non-god, non-divine and non-human being with a bellicose character. gzi beads are its weapons.

10. Precious jewels of the gods
tibetans believe that Gzi beads are the precious jewels of the gods who discard them to the human world when they become blemished. This explains why it is extremely difficult to find Gzi beads in perfect condition.

11. Gzi come in hoards
Such a legend circulates among the Tibetans in the Kham region. one day, A mand herding yaks acidentally found a hoard of beautiful Gzi in the mountain. Many Gzi crawled around in their "nest". He tried to capture them all but failed to do so. He then ran back to his village to fetch help. Later, he returned to find that except for a few Gzi, the rest hand managed to escape from the nest. They could not find the lost Gzi despite repeated searches.

12. Gzi stream in Nagri
legend alleages that there were Gzi beads flowing continuously like a stream from a mountain slope near Rutog in Ngari. One day, a wicked woman" cast an evil eye" at the mountain and the flow of Gzi immediately stoppedl It is said that the spot can still be recognized. It is marked by characteristic black and white stripes like those on a Gzi bead.

13. Magic beads cast by Vajravarahi Buddha
During those early years when Tiet was overwhelmed by severe epidemic, tibetans were plunged into an abyss of misery and they led a very hard life. Fortunately, the compassionate Vajravarahi Buddha came to relieve them by dropping from the sky magic Gzi beads. Anyone who were predestined to obtain them would be relieved from disease, calamities and bad luck.

14. Celestial flowers sprinkled by Manjusri Buddha
It si said that a severe epidemic spredad across the Himalyayan countries around three thousand years ago. many people died and great loss was incurred. manjusri Buddha, the former incarnation of manjusri Bodhisattva, happend to pass the sky above the Himalyayas. When he saw that the Tibetans were living in great turmoil, a great compassion grew from his heart. He then sprinkled celestial flowers down to the human world to relieve the Tibetans from calamities. These flowers fell upon the fields, meadows and mountains. Whoever found them and picked them up would have their disease gradually cured. these flowers were the Gzi beads.

15. Precious stones in the treasury of the tagzing Kingdom
After King Gesar of Ling Kingdom had defeated the Tagzig Kingdom, he found many precious items, including Gzi beads, in the treasury of Tagzig. King Gesar distributed the Gzi beads among his soldiers who then carried them back to Tibet. In the course of time, these beads got scattered all over the region.

16. Treasure of the Azha Kingdom
King Gesar sent his army to attack the Azha Kingdom. A mediator was dispatched by the tibetan king to settle the war. The king of Azha agreed to surrender and he took out from his treasury many precious items, including Gzi beads of various shapes, and offered them to King Gesar. King Gesar first offered the Gzi beads to the Three Jewls and the Dharma kings, and then distributed part of the rest to his soldiers and people. The remainning lot was concealed in various sites for future use and entrusted to respective custodians.

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