Bhutan Photos

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Photograph by James L. Stanfield

Church and state entwine in Bhutan, where King Jigme Singye Wangchuck [at left] wears a yellow scarf, a symbol of his authority, as he consults with Buddhist leaders on matters of public policy. His audience this day: the four lopons, or masters, of the central monastic body in Bhutan.

"Only through a blend of tradition and modernity can we enhance the quality of life of our people," declares the 35-year-old monarch, a hands-on ruler who speaks flawless English and used to play a decidedly un-Bhutanese sport—basketball—in his spare time.

—From "Bhutan: Kingdom in the Clouds," May 1991, National Geographic magazine

Farmer

Photograph by James L. Stanfield

The true colors of Bhutan are woven in soil: Nine out of ten Bhutanese are farmers like Sonam Yudron, who lives near Lumitsawa, and most harvests are bright with chilies drying on rooftops. Sonam stores her rice in the shed and guards it round the clock; nearly 30 percent of Bhutan's crops are ruined by wild boars, deer, or monkeys.

—From "Bhutan: Kingdom in the Clouds," May 1991, National Geographic magazine

Waterfall

Photograph by James L. Stanfield

The path of enlightenment is lonely and narrow for monks at Taktshang Monastery, who take turns meditating alone in a cliffside retreat for three years, three months, three weeks, and three days. Taktshang, the Tiger's Den, is where the great Guru Rimpoche, who first brought Buddhism to Bhutan, is said to have arrived on a flying tiger in the eighth century.

—From "Bhutan: Kingdom in the Clouds," May 1991, National Geographic magazine

Himalaya Mountains

Photograph by James L. Stanfield

Once forbidden to outsiders, a glimpse of the Himalaya in Bhutan is as tantalizing as the sighting of a rare and beautiful bird. This mountain is Jhomolhari, at 23,996 feet [7,314 meters] Bhutan's second highest peak. In the foreground a fortress built to repel Tibetan invaders crumbles to the ground.

After a thousand years of solitude, the hermit kingdom is trekking over steep ground to reach the modern world. Its gentle pace, for better or worse, is a choice made long ago. 'You have to understand,' says a Jesuit priest who has lived in Bhutan for decades. 'By and large, most of this country still exists in the time of King Arthur.'

—From "Bhutan: Kingdom in the Clouds," May 1991, National Geographic magazine