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Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright Manage No EE00002083 Country Bhutan ICH Domain Performing Arts Address Bumthang is one of the central Dzongkhags (districts) of Bhutan with an area of nearly 2667.76 km² and an altitude of 2000-6800 meters above sea level. There are four gewogs (blocks) of which Chokor is one of the gewogs. Chokor includes five different chiwogs (administrative subdivisions), one of which is the Ngang Chiwog. It also consists of eleven scattered small communities: the villages of Karzhong, Zangling, Ngang Lhakhang, Samthang, Saram, and Karzhong, and the villages of Gramphel, Dodrong, Zhabjethang, and Nasphel across the Chamkhar chhu (river). As per the oral accounts of the origins of Ngang Lhakhang: In accordance with his master’s prophecy and instructions, Namkha Samdrub left Tshampa and wandered about into the valley, seeking a suitable site to build his temple. When he arrived at what is now Dodrong, he gazed upward just in time to view a flock of beautiful swans (ngangpa) circling in the sky and landing on a nearby ridge. Namkha Samdrub considered this to be an auspicious sign and decided to build his temple there. Once completed, the temple was named Ngang Lhakhang, or Swan Temple. The site is not far from the ruins of Draphey Dzong, which was the residence of the Choekhor Penpo (local leader) who ruled the valley until the Drukpa (State religion) conquest in the 17th century. Presently, a village named Ngang surrounds Ngang Lhakhang.Year of Designation 2015
| Description | Nang-zhey or Ngang pi Zhey is a native folk dance of a particular chiwog under Chokor Gewog in Bumthang with unique dress, lyrics, melodies and steps performed only by the male artists locally called Pazer-pa (soldiers or guards). The zhey is believed to be a sacred performance composed by their spiritual master Namkha Samdrup aka Tshampai Lama. Namkha Samdrub was born in 1398 on the 14th day of the third lunar month of the 7th Rabjung to Jamyang Drakpa Yoezer, one of the twin sons of the 22nd Sumthrang Choeje Palden Sengge and his partner Bumkyi, who belonged to the lineage of Ngangpai Dung. At the age of four, Namkha Samdrub was recognized as the reincarnation of Zhigpo Trashi Sengge, the 19th successor of Sumthrang Choeje. From the age of six to thirteen, he learned the basic Buddhist teachings and received empowerments and oral transmissions from his uncle Tennyi. He continued to seek further teachings and empowerments from various masters, including Drubwang Montsepa (d.u.), Lama Kunga Palden (d.u.), Gyalwang Choeje (d.u.), 6th Karmapa Thongwa Donden (1416-1453), and Terton (treasure discoverer) Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478). Namkha Samdrub eventually became a high-ranking master of the Drigung Kagyu (one of the Tibetan schools) and spent much of his life in solitude in the area bordering Tibet called Longtoe District, which is why he is sometimes called Longtoe Lama by Tibetans. He later moved to Tshampa on the Bhutanese side, where he took up extensive meditation practices, so he became known as Tshampai Lama. Later, he founded the Ngang Lhakhang (temple) in the Ngang community, which consisted mainly of his followers. After the completion of the temple, the Rabney (consecration ceremony) on the 15th day of the tenth lunar month was conducted by Lama himself. During the Rabney, Lama introduced mask dances as well as Ngang-zhey, which are performed every year on the 15th and 17th days of the tenth lunar month to sanctify the physical space and bestow blessings on the audience, coinciding with the eve of Karma nyadzom (conjunction with the Pleiades constellation). Although zhey is performed, the community faces problem of finding male performers, and since it is an indigenous art, if the trend remains the same every year, there is a high probability that the performance will be discontinued. |
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| Social and cultural significance | As the Zhey performance is not only associated with the Rabney but also with their spiritual master and his patron deities to pay homage and gratitude for his contribution to the welfare of the communities; and also, to commemorate the completion of the community Lhakhang. Even though it seems to be only a folk performance, it helps to connect the communities and even the individuals to know the role of their ancestors and to emphasize the completeness of the Rabney. Ngang zhey is believe to be a sacred performance in which the patron deities of Bhutan and Tibet gather in various forms to observe it. If the zhey is no longer performed, the festival is incomplete, which would lead to misfortune, epidemics and unfavorable circumstances that would affect people, crops and livestock. The community agrees that maintaining the zhey is a community responsibility, as it contributes to health and prosperity and preserves community cohesion and identity. Locals also believe that unlike other mask dances, the mask dances and zhey of Ngang Rabney have special steps that are imitations of the activities of guardian deities as visualized by Tshampai Lama in meditation. |
| Transmission method | Since there were no written records either in the Lhakhang (temple) or in the Samthang Dung, the knowledge, especially the melodies and lyrics, was passed on orally; one sings, the other listens and learns them by heart, until the documentation of the lyrics was done by some educated men a few years ago. Today, the interested pazer-pas learn the lyrics from the documented booklet and the melodies by listening to the experienced performers and repeating them. As for the transmission of the choreography, there is no coincidence and no special methods have been used so far. The experts either perform in front of the participants or the participants imitate the steps, sometimes both methods are used. However, often the participants acquire the knowledge by participating in the performance themselves. |
| Community | It is said that Tshampai Lama had two different types of servants: Dra-pa (lay devotee) and Thre-pa (his patron or taxpayer). It is believed that most of the community members under the Ngang Chiwog are the descendants of Drapas or Thre-pas. During the Ngang Rabney, the Drapas has overall responsibility for the masquerade dance performances and provides assistance in performing the rituals at the Lhakhang. The Thre-pa, traditionally seven named households from Samthang, Gramphel, Dodrong, Nasphel and Zhabjethang, takes charge of coordinating pazer-pa, zhey performances, female folk dances and providing grain, butter and other needed goods. Currently, the seven taxpayer households are the main contributors to the zhey, although there are several Zurpa (branch) households in the above communities. The origin of the residents is mostly that of the local citizens of the Ngang communities who became disciples and patrons of Lama Namkha Samdrup. Undoubtedly, the Ngang zhey was inherited by the founder of the Ngang Lhakhang, Tshampai Lama Namkha Samdrup, in the 14th century. The zhey was inherited by the ancestors of the seven named taxpayer households, especially the Samthang Dung (nobility) and the main patron of the Lama, who has assumed the role of Droen-nyer (coordinator) of the pazer-pa and zhey performance since the time of Namkha Samdrup. Another household is the Ngang Choe-je (an aristocratic family), the owner of the Ngang Lhakhang, who organizes the Ngang Rabney annually and also through the successive zhey-pons (the master of the zhey performers) until today. Data collected by: Mr. Yeshi Lhendup, NLAB |
Keyword
Information source
National Library and Archives of Bhutan
https://www.library.gov.bt/archive/Materials related to
Photos
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PI00000067
Nang-zhey or Ngang bi Zhey
Nang-zhey or Ngang pi Zhey is a native folk dance of a particular chiwog under Chokor Gewog in Bumthang with unique dress, lyrics, melodies and steps performed only by the male artists locally called Pazer-pa (soldiers or guards). The zhey is believed to be a sacred performance composed by their spiritual master Namkha Samdrup aka Tshampai Lama. Namkha Samdrub was born in 1398 on the 14th day of the third lunar month of the 7th Rabjung to Jamyang Drakpa Yoezer, one of the twin sons of the 22nd Sumthrang Choeje Palden Sengge and his partner Bumkyi, who belonged to the lineage of Ngangpai Dung. At the age of four, Namkha Samdrub was recognized as the reincarnation of Zhigpo Trashi Sengge, the 19th successor of Sumthrang Choeje. From the age of six to thirteen, he learned the basic Buddhist teachings and received empowerments and oral transmissions from his uncle Tennyi. He continued to seek further teachings and empowerments from various masters, including Drubwang Montsepa (d.u.), Lama Kunga Palden (d.u.), Gyalwang Choeje (d.u.), 6th Karmapa Thongwa Donden (1416-1453), and Terton (treasure discoverer) Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478). Namkha Samdrub eventually became a high-ranking master of the Drigung Kagyu (one of the Tibetan schools) and spent much of his life in solitude in the area bordering Tibet called Longtoe District, which is why he is sometimes called Longtoe Lama by Tibetans. He later moved to Tshampa on the Bhutanese side, where he took up extensive meditation practices, so he became known as Tshampai Lama. Later, he founded the Ngang Lhakhang (temple) in the Ngang community, which consisted mainly of his followers. After the completion of the temple, the Rabney (consecration ceremony) on the 15th day of the tenth lunar month was conducted by Lama himself. During the Rabney, Lama introduced mask dances as well as Ngang-zhey, which are performed every year on the 15th and 17th days of the tenth lunar month to sanctify the physical space and bestow blessings on the audience, coinciding with the eve of Karma nyadzom (conjunction with the Pleiades constellation).
Bhutan 2015 -
PI00006852
Nang-zhey or Ngang bi Zhey
Nang-zhey or Ngang pi Zhey is a native folk dance of a particular chiwog under Chokor Gewog in Bumthang with unique dress, lyrics, melodies and steps performed only by the male artists locally called Pazer-pa (soldiers or guards). The zhey is believed to be a sacred performance composed by their spiritual master Namkha Samdrup aka Tshampai Lama. Namkha Samdrub was born in 1398 on the 14th day of the third lunar month of the 7th Rabjung to Jamyang Drakpa Yoezer, one of the twin sons of the 22nd Sumthrang Choeje Palden Sengge and his partner Bumkyi, who belonged to the lineage of Ngangpai Dung. At the age of four, Namkha Samdrub was recognized as the reincarnation of Zhigpo Trashi Sengge, the 19th successor of Sumthrang Choeje. From the age of six to thirteen, he learned the basic Buddhist teachings and received empowerments and oral transmissions from his uncle Tennyi. He continued to seek further teachings and empowerments from various masters, including Drubwang Montsepa (d.u.), Lama Kunga Palden (d.u.), Gyalwang Choeje (d.u.), 6th Karmapa Thongwa Donden (1416-1453), and Terton (treasure discoverer) Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478). Namkha Samdrub eventually became a high-ranking master of the Drigung Kagyu (one of the Tibetan schools) and spent much of his life in solitude in the area bordering Tibet called Longtoe District, which is why he is sometimes called Longtoe Lama by Tibetans. He later moved to Tshampa on the Bhutanese side, where he took up extensive meditation practices, so he became known as Tshampai Lama. Later, he founded the Ngang Lhakhang (temple) in the Ngang community, which consisted mainly of his followers. After the completion of the temple, the Rabney (consecration ceremony) on the 15th day of the tenth lunar month was conducted by Lama himself. During the Rabney, Lama introduced mask dances as well as Ngang-zhey, which are performed every year on the 15th and 17th days of the tenth lunar month to sanctify the physical space and bestow blessings on the audience, coinciding with the eve of Karma nyadzom (conjunction with the Pleiades constellation).
Bhutan 2015 -
PI00006851
Nang-zhey or Ngang bi Zhey
Nang-zhey or Ngang pi Zhey is a native folk dance of a particular chiwog under Chokor Gewog in Bumthang with unique dress, lyrics, melodies and steps performed only by the male artists locally called Pazer-pa (soldiers or guards). The zhey is believed to be a sacred performance composed by their spiritual master Namkha Samdrup aka Tshampai Lama. Namkha Samdrub was born in 1398 on the 14th day of the third lunar month of the 7th Rabjung to Jamyang Drakpa Yoezer, one of the twin sons of the 22nd Sumthrang Choeje Palden Sengge and his partner Bumkyi, who belonged to the lineage of Ngangpai Dung. At the age of four, Namkha Samdrub was recognized as the reincarnation of Zhigpo Trashi Sengge, the 19th successor of Sumthrang Choeje. From the age of six to thirteen, he learned the basic Buddhist teachings and received empowerments and oral transmissions from his uncle Tennyi. He continued to seek further teachings and empowerments from various masters, including Drubwang Montsepa (d.u.), Lama Kunga Palden (d.u.), Gyalwang Choeje (d.u.), 6th Karmapa Thongwa Donden (1416-1453), and Terton (treasure discoverer) Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478). Namkha Samdrub eventually became a high-ranking master of the Drigung Kagyu (one of the Tibetan schools) and spent much of his life in solitude in the area bordering Tibet called Longtoe District, which is why he is sometimes called Longtoe Lama by Tibetans. He later moved to Tshampa on the Bhutanese side, where he took up extensive meditation practices, so he became known as Tshampai Lama. Later, he founded the Ngang Lhakhang (temple) in the Ngang community, which consisted mainly of his followers. After the completion of the temple, the Rabney (consecration ceremony) on the 15th day of the tenth lunar month was conducted by Lama himself. During the Rabney, Lama introduced mask dances as well as Ngang-zhey, which are performed every year on the 15th and 17th days of the tenth lunar month to sanctify the physical space and bestow blessings on the audience, coinciding with the eve of Karma nyadzom (conjunction with the Pleiades constellation).
Bhutan 2015