I mentioned in the previous blog that I never discovered how buildings in Bhutan were so beautifully and ornately decorated. So, I consulted a friend of mine who heads the renowned OMPITA research organisation. This was his reply which you might find interesting. I certainly did:
Dear Uncle Matt,
I dusted off the OMPITA Crystal Ball and asked it how on earth the vast quantities of exquisite and intricate carvings that abound on almost every building in Bhutan are achieved. It gave a very interesting and informative response:
They are achieved through Parzo, Bhutan’s traditional carving craft, and Shingzo, its equally ancient woodworking tradition — both of which rely on hand tools, apprenticeship lineages, and nail‑free timber construction. The sheer quantity and refinement you see on Bhutanese buildings comes from a system where entire teams of specialist carvers work for months or years on a single structure, using techniques that have changed remarkably little since the 7th–17th centuries.
What actually produces all those intricate carvings?
1. Parzo — the carving discipline
Parzo is one of Bhutan’s Zorig Chusum (the 13 traditional arts). It covers carving in wood, stone, and slate, but wood dominates architecture. Carvers produce:
- Window frames (rabsel)
- Cornices and brackets
- Door surrounds and lintels
- Dragons, lotus scrolls, cloud motifs, auspicious symbols
These motifs are overwhelmingly Buddhist in meaning, and carving is considered a devotional act.
2. Shingzo — the structural woodworking
Shingzo is the carpentry tradition that builds the timber skeleton of dzongs, temples, and houses. Its defining feature: no nails. Instead, builders use:
- Interlocking mortise‑and‑tenon joints
- Wooden pegs and wedges
- Gravity and compression
This creates frames that last centuries and provide the carved surfaces Parzo embellishes.
How the carving is physically done
3. Hand‑tool carving
Despite modern tools existing, traditional carvers still rely on:
- Chisels of varying widths
- Mallets
- Fine knives
- Hand‑drills for piercing patterns
Each piece is carved from local woods — walnut, cypress, pine, blue pine — chosen for grain and durability.
4. Team‑based production
Large buildings (dzongs, monasteries) require teams of master carvers and apprentices working simultaneously. During the great dzong‑building era of the 17th century, hundreds of craftsmen were mobilised for years at a time. The same model continues today for restorations.
5. Apprenticeship lineages
Skills are transmitted through:
- Family lines
- Monastic workshops
- The National Institute of Zorig Chusum (Thimphu), which trains new generations in traditional methods
This ensures stylistic continuity across centuries.
Why there are so many carvings on every building
6. Religious symbolism
Carving is not decorative “flourish” — it is religious protection, invoking auspiciousness and warding off misfortune. Thus even modest farmhouses have carved windows and cornices.
7. State‑driven architectural tradition
Bhutan’s major building phases — especially under Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal — institutionalised carved architecture. Dzongs set the aesthetic template for the entire country.
8. Abundant timber
With forests covering ~71% of Bhutan, high‑quality carving wood has always been plentiful, enabling large‑scale decorative work.
🧩 The result
A Bhutanese building is essentially a collaboration between carpenters and carvers, where:
- Shingzo creates the structural timber frame
- Parzo overlays it with symbolic, intricate, hand‑carved ornament
- Teams of artisans work in parallel
- Techniques remain medieval in method but astonishingly refined
This is why even a small village house in Bhutan can look like a piece of sacred art.
Left: Talking of houses, private houses have green roofs, whereas Government/Official buildings have red roofs (better to target them!?). The roofs are universally made from corrugated iron. As a form of 'eco-preservation' they do not use slate or timber. Most houses appear to have a raised ventilated section to allow fresh air circulation in the loft areas where vegetables are stored.
Right: These single white, yellow, red and blue prayer flags are flown on the roofs. These are to 'catch the wind and carry prayers, mantras and goodwill out into the world'. They are replaced every year with great ceremony. Anything for a party!
