The beauty and vivacity of Bhutan’s traditional arts and crafts are in evidence throughout the land – in its dzongs and monasteries, its textiles and paintings. Craftsmen maintain age-old techniques, passed down through generations of oral and written accounts, to keep the rich tradition alive.
The traditional skills or crafts are categorized as the zorig chusum. Zo meaning the ability to make, rig meaning science or craft and chusum meaning thirteen. It is believed that the zorig chusum was codified during the rule of Tenzin Rabgye (1680-94), the 4th Desi (secular ruler).
