About Bhutan

History

A temple in Lingshi

The recorded history dates as far back as the seventh century A.D., when the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo constructed the two temples, Kyichu in Paro and Jampe Lhakhang in Bumthang. Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known as Guru Rinpoche, “The Precious Master”, came to Bhutan in the eighth century introducing Tantric Buddhism. Since then, Buddhism has largely shaped the history of Bhutan and the way of life of its people.

The geographical situation kept the world at bay and together with the policy of isolationism this small kingdom was never colonized which is a matter of great pride to the Bhutanese. Its ancient history, which is a mixture of the oral tradition and classical literature, tells of a largely self-sufficient population that had limited contact with the outside world until the turn of the century.

But it was not until the visit of Guru Rinpoche in 747 A.D., that Buddhism took firm root in the country. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche came flying on the back of a tiger and landed in Taktsang, Paro, where the Taktsang monastery, one of the most revered sacred sites and the most distinguished religious and historical icon of Bhutan, stands today. The Kurjey (body imprint) Lhakhang in Bumthang is another important revered site of pilgrimage where Guru Rinpoche had meditated, subdued the evil spirits and left the imprint of his body on a rock.

Another important chapter in the history of Bhutan evolved in the first half of the 13th century when the spiritual master, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo arrived in Bhutan, the precursor of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition of Mahayana Buddhism which ultimately gained pre-eminence in the country. Many saints and religious figures, over the years, helped shape Bhutan's history and develop its religion of which the Tertons (religious treasure discoverers) played an important role who were pre-destined to unearth the ters (relics) hidden for posterity by Guru Rinpoche and other saints.

With the arrival of the Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (the precious jewel at whose feet one submits) opened the most dynamic era in the history of Bhutan. The religious and secular powers were not clearly delineated until the 17 Century when the Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the great leader of the Drukpa school of Mahayana Buddhism, established the dual system of government--the temporal and theocratic--with Je Khenpo (chief abbot) as the religious head and the temporal leader known as the Desi. He was not only a great spiritual personality and a statesman but also left his indelible legacy as a great architect and a builder. The Shabdrung constructed numerous Dzongs, monasteries, and religious institutions bringing people from all walks of life under one faith and firmly instituted Drukpa Kagyu as the state religion.

The Shabdrung's dual system of government, which was ruled successfully by 54 Desis and 60 Je Khenpos, steered Bhutan from 1651 until the birth of the Wangchuck dynasty and establishment of the hereditary Monarchy in 1907.