National Institute for Zorig Chusum (The Painting School)
Dedicated to preserving Bhutan’s thirteen traditional arts and crafts (Zorig Chusum), this premier vocational institute trains young artisans across specialized multi-year disciplines. Classrooms are arranged as working open studios where students practice time-honored techniques in thangka painting (lhadri), woodcarving (shingzo), clay sculpture (jinzo), metal casting, and gold-thread embroidery under the supervision of master craftsmen.
A walkthrough here gives visitors an authentic understanding of the painstaking skill required to create the religious art and architectural ornamentation seen across Bhutan’s dzongs and monasteries. Guides suggest visiting on a weekday morning when all workshops are in active session, allowing you to observe the precise grinding of natural mineral pigments and the meticulous drafting of sacred Buddhist geometric proportions.
