Here Is a Widespread Belief in the Existence of the Elusive Yeti
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Published on the occasion of Gangteng Monastery Art.fiom the Hin~alayanKirgdorn 9fBh~rtor1, Land ofthe Thunder Dropti Larni Gonpa Khentse an exhibition organized by National Library, Thimphu The Asia Society Galleries, New York and Ta-Dzong National Museun~,Paro the Royal Government of Bhutan January 18-June 17, 1990. Paro Dzong Private Collection Published by The Asia Society Galleries, New York Punakha Dzong Andrew Pekarik, Director, The Asia Society C;allerics Osa Brown, Associate Director, Publisher Tashichho Dzong Becky Mikalson, Production Tongsa Dzong Design: Abby Goldstein Wangdiphodrang Dzong Black-and-white ~hoto~raphy:Andrew Pekarik Map: courtesy of Serindia Publications This exhibition and book have been made possible by the generous support of Mr. Hajime Onishi, Printed and bound in the United States of America Copyright 0 198y by The Asia Society Galleries. Honorary Consul of Bhutan in Osaka, Japan, the New York National Endowment for the Arts. Lisina and All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any Frank Hoch, John and Henrietta Goelet, Thai means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy. Airways International, Ltd., and the New York recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from State Council on the Arts. Additional Support the publisher. was provided by The Starr Foundation. The lSBN 0-87848-071-4 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Friends Library of Congress Catalogue Number 89-82260 of The Asia Society Galleries. On the cover: Paro Dzong Photograph by Andrew Pekarik Forcword Zonal Administration 14 His Royal Highnrss King jiglnc Siqyc, Royal Civil Service Cominission 15 Warrgclii4ck, Kirrg of Hhurarr 5 Bhutan in International Affairs 15 Preface The Clergy 15 Andrew l't~karik 6 Conclusion 15 The National Anthem of Bhutan 7 The Buddhism of l3hutan 16 Map of Bhutan 8 Key Figures of Bhutanese Buddhism 16 The Geographical Background 9 The Monastic Community 18 I'rehistory 9 Rites and Rituals 19 Introduction of Buddhism 10 Buddhism and Medicine 20 The Age of Ngawang Narngyal 11 The Artistic Tradition in Bhutan 22 Medieval Bhutanese Society 11 Paintings 23 The Theory of the Triple Incarnation of the Zhabdrung 11 Sculpture 24 The Advent of the British and the Architecture 25 Establishment of Monarchy 12 The Agrarian Economy 27 Political Institutions and Organization of Dress 27 Government 12 Diet 27 National Assembly 13 The Astrological and Astronomical Royal Advisory Council 13 Perspective 28 Judiciary 13 Sports and Pastimes 28 Council of Ministers and the Central Festivals 29 Secretariat 13 Ceremonials and Customs 30 District Development Comnlittee 14 The Flag and Official Seal of Bhutan 30 Local Administration 14 BHUTAN PHYSlCALREl IEP I LaOBND ---m*mrum~buaauy r -pull --*-'a' --*-'a' '-wu- . Hads- -hwdllolP Eg%? --- ?&dSn . ~V~~ -mr e~trpplt i. MOlmWn x lw perature drops to - roo or lower. Strong winds Situated along the southern slopes of the great sweeping through the vrllcy increase thc cold. Himalayan range between 26'5' and 28"s' north The valleys ofthe northern region, wl~i~llJre ar latitude and 88" and 92" east longitude, the king- heights of between I 1,000and 18.ooo feet, are dom of Bhutan, with an area of 18,ooosquare sparsely populatcci, mainly by no~nadicyak herds~ncn.The zone form5 part oithe (;rear Hi- miles and a population of 1.2 n~illion,lies like a picti~resquefairyland between China to the north malayas, with high peaks along the Tibetan hor- and India to the south, east, and west. ders, the rnost pror~~incntamong which arc the The British emissary Captain N. Boileau Pcnl- Jomo Lhari in the west (r4,ooo icct), and Md~dllg berton, who visited the country a century and a Gang (23,700 feet) and Tshering Gang (21.400 half ago, dramatically described Bhutan's topogra- feet) in the north. The tree line is generally at 13,000 feet, with coniferous forests of pitlc dnd fir. phy: "With the exception of the narrow strip of Bhutan abounds in a rich variety of wildlife, land at the foot of the mountains, the whole of Bootan (sic) territory presents a succession of the including elephants, rhinos, tigers, musk deer, most lofty and rugged nlountains on the surface snow leop~rds,brown bears, red pandas, tdkins. of the globe . the consequence is that the trav- and blue sheep, and there is a widespread belief in the existence of the elusive yeti. eller appears to be shut out on every side from the rest of the world." The people of Bhutan are of three ethnic groups: the Sharchops, believed to be the earliest The area now occupied by the Bhutan Himala- yas is described as the site of the shallow Tethys inhabitants, who live largely in eastern Bhutan; the Ngalops, who live mostly in western Bhutan; Sea millions of years ago; during the Tertiary and the people of Nepalese origin who settled in period, powerful forces of earth, water, and ice southern Bhutan toward the end of the ninetccnrh transformed it into a land of irregular mountain century. While a nulnber of dialects arc spoken ir~ masses. Concurrent elevation and erosion during a different parts of the country, Dzor~gkhais thc period of millions of years formed the present national language of Bhutan. mountain system. Geographers divide Bhutan into three distinct Prehistory zones: southern, central, and northern. Southern Bhutan consists of low foothills covered with Bhutan's prehistoric period, of which thcre is dense tropical forests. The subtropical nlonsoon neither ethnic, paleobotanic, geographic, or climate of this region is hot and humid, and the physiographic record, fell roughly between average temperature is 20' centigrade. 500 B.C. and A.D. 500. Fire, earthquake, Hood, Central Bhutan, where the majority of the pop- and internecine warfare uniortunately destroyed ulation lives and where the capital, Thimphu, is whatever records tnay once have existed. Thc located, lies at the foot of the majestic northern accidental burning in 1832 of the tizot~.~ mountains and consists mainly of fertile vallcys at (monastery-fortress) in I'unakha, at that time one altitudes ranging from 3.500 to IO,OOOfcet. In of the capitals of Bhutan, and the widespread these valleys are grown a wide variety of crops. destruction caused at the same site by an carth- including rice, wheat, and maize, whilc on the quake in 1897 were especially responsible for the surrounding slopes thrive fruits such as apples, destruction of Bhutanese historical documents plun~s,and peaches. The central zone is rich in relating to the period. However, a ni~mbcrof forests of oak, pine, and fir. With the exception of stonc tools and megaliths availablc suggest th~t a few valleys like Punakha and Wangdiphodrang Bhutan was populated fro111 a relatively early date. situated at comparatively low altitudes, vallcys are probably around 2000-1500 n.c. extre~nelycold during winter, when the tem- Little is known about thc early history of .