Bhutan |

Bhutan

Sculpture & Decorative Arts

Jim zo (Sculpting) In Bhutan sculpting or jim dzo is one of the oldest forms of carft originationg in the 17th century. Clay statues, paper mache, clay masks and pots are examples of jim dzo.Bhutanese Clay sculpture is among the best in the Himalayan region and many gifted sculptors were invited to build statues for [...]

Handicrafts

Tsha zo (bamboo work) The art of bamboo weaving or tshar dzo is practiced mainly in Kheng Zhemgang and Trimshing Kangpara in Trashigang. Examples of this art form are- Bangchungs, palangs, floor mats and mats for drying grains, musical instruments like flutes, matted bamboo for roofs and fences, traditional bows and arrows. In Bhutan, [...]

Music

Bhutanese music includes traditional genres such as zhungdra and boedra, and a modern genre called rigsar. Folk music and dance (cham) gained prominence during the reign of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1652). Instruments like lingam (flute), dramnyen (lute) and chiwang (fiddle) date back to that time period. Drupka Buddhism and Buddhist music have influenced Bhutanese culture, [...]

Art

Zoig Chusum, the thirteen traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan are unique and deeply rooted in the Buddhist philosophy. 1. Shing zo (Woodwork) 2. Dho zo (Stonework) 3. Par zo (Carving) 4. Lha zo (Painting) 5. Jim zo (Sculpting) 6. Lug zo (Casting) 7. Shag zo (Wood Turning) 8. Gar zo (Blacksmith) 9. Troe [...]

Drama

Theatre in Bhutan has traditionally not been a distinguished art form apart from the performances in religious festivals such as tshechus. However, from the 1960s until today, scattered attempts have been made to develop theatre tradition based on traditional stories such as Gasa lami Singye, the Bhutanese equivalenent to Romeo and Juliet. In recent years, [...]

Dance

The mask dances (cham) date back to the 8th Century and are said to bring blessings to onlookers. The Royal Academy of Performing Arts was opened in 1967 and its traditions date back to 1954 to provide formal training for masked dancers and preserve the country’s folk dancing heritage. It is located in the northern [...]

Films

First Bhutanese feature film Gasa Lamai Singye appeared in 1988 and Jigdrel was the first ‘block buster’ success followed in 1998. Motion Picture Association of Bhutan (MPAB) was founded in 1999 and has since then managed to create awareness around the movie industry in Bhutan and its successes and problems. On an average, 20 films [...]

Literature

The Bhutanese concept of literature refers to the general collection of texts like Rigney and Zhung, those texts that yield knowledge and have positive outcome. Bhutanese literature divides learning into five headings: grammar, dialectics, healing, the outer sciences and inner sciences that cover Buddhist doctrines and practices. These cannot be termed as purely Buddhist, but [...]

Food

Rice and chilies are central to Bhutanese cuisine. Bhutanses do not use spices in cooking their food, apart from chili and salt. In fact, chilies are considered as a vegetable and not just a spice. Rice is consumed with meat and vegetables. Red rice is part of every Bhutanese banquet and sometimes rice is flavored [...]

Costumes

Photo Source URL Link: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02025/bhutan-wedding_2025519i.jpg In Bhutan, in order to preserve ancient customs from being influenced by the West, the government has made it compulsory for all Bhutanese to wear only their national dress in public. Bhutanese men wear a “gho

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