Bhutan has relied on its geographic isolation to protect itself from outside culturalinfluences. A meagerly populated country bordered by India to the south and China to the north, Bhutan has long maintained a policy of strict isolationism, both culturally and economically, with the goal of preserving its cultural heritage and independence. Only in the last decades of the 20th century were foreigners allowed to visit the country, and only in limited numbers. In this way, Bhutan has successfully preserved many aspects of a culture which dates directly back to the mid-17th century.
Contemporary Bhutanese culture derives from earliest culture. This culture affected the early growth of the nation. Dzongkha and Sharchop, the principal Bhutaneselanguages, are closely related to Tibetan, and Bhutanese monks read and write the ancient variant of the Tibetan language known as chhokey. Bhutanese are physically similar to the Tibetans but history does not record when they crossed over the Himalayas and settled in the south-draining valleys of Bhutan. Both Tibetans andBhutanese revere the tantric guru, Padmasambhavathe founder of Himalayan Buddhism in the 8th century.
ARCHITECTURE: Traditionally Bhutanese houses are made out of mud, bamboo, and wood which are available in the wild. The doors and windows of Bhutanese houses are ornamented with animal, religious, or floral designs. The houses usually consist of three stories. The cattle and other animals of the house reside on the ground floor, the second floor is for storage, and on the third floor are the living quarters, which often also have the shrine (i.e. Chosum). Hay, dry vegetables and meat are stored in the open-air between the third floor and the roof. The most important feature of Bhutanese houses is the prayer flag placed in the centre of the roof.
Bhutanese construction of building is characterized by structural designs and exterior paintwork (shapes, colors, and patterns), representing national identity and traditional meanings of BHutan. Dzongs (fortresses), Gompas (monasteries), Chortens (shrines/stupas), Lakhangs (temples) and houses are some of the impressive and important structures in Bhutan. Most of the monasteries and temples throughout Bhutanare built on steep hillsides and in other remote places. This ensures that the monks get solitude and serenity. All the monasteries in Bhutan have some common features though they also have their own design. Monasteries here have a central chapel with statues and separate sleeping quarters for the monks. There are prayer wheels around the outside and a round gold-coloured ornament on the roof. Temples are not very different from monasteries in design and look; the only difference between them is that they do not house monks.