Hilton Chen
Single File
Monks filter out of a dzong in Bhutan, after a long afternoon worship service. Dzongs are interesting places. Unlike traditional Buddhist monasteries in SE Asia, dzongs are a type of fortress-monastery that serves both a religious function as well as an administrative and social center. Dzongs house both monks and governmental offices, embodying the intertwining of religious and secular authority in Bhutanese society. Bhutan's state religion, as you would expect, is Mahayana Buddhism, and it is officially enshrined in their constitution.
Single File
Monks filter out of a dzong in Bhutan, after a long afternoon worship service. Dzongs are interesting places. Unlike traditional Buddhist monasteries in SE Asia, dzongs are a type of fortress-monastery that serves both a religious function as well as an administrative and social center. Dzongs house both monks and governmental offices, embodying the intertwining of religious and secular authority in Bhutanese society. Bhutan's state religion, as you would expect, is Mahayana Buddhism, and it is officially enshrined in their constitution.