
The Druk (, ) is the "Thunder
Dragon
A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
" of
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
and
Bhutanese mythology
Cradled in the folds of the Himalayas, Bhutan has relied on its geographical isolation to protect itself from outside cultural influences. A sparsely populated country bordered by India to the south, and China to the north, Bhutan has long mai ...
and a
Bhutanese national symbol. A druk appears on the
flag of Bhutan
The national flag of Bhutan (Dzongkha: ) is one of the national symbols of Bhutan. The flag features the Druk, a dragon from Bhutanese mythology. This alludes to the country's name in , meaning 'The Thunder Dragon Kingdom', as well as the Druk ...
, holding jewels to represent wealth. In
Dzongkha
Dzongkha (; ) is a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burman language that is the official and national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script.
The word means "the language of the fortress", from ' "fortress" and ' "language ...
, Bhutan is called ''Druk Yul'' "Land of Druk", and Bhutanese leaders are called
Druk Gyalpo
The King of Bhutan, officially the Druk Gyalpo (; ), is the constitutional monarch and head of state of the Kingdom of Bhutan. In the Dzongkha language, Bhutan is known as ''Drukyul'' which translates as "The Land of the Thunder Drago ...
, "Thunder Dragon Kings". During the
Bhutanese mock election in 2007, all four mock parties were called the ''Druk
olourParty''.
[Every party had a separate colour representing its values.] The
national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
of Bhutan,
Druk tsendhen
"Druk Tsenden" (, ; "The Thunder Dragon Kingdom") is the national anthem of Bhutan. Adopted in 1953, the lyrics were written by Dolop Droep Namgay and possibly translated into English by Dasho Gyaldun Thinley. The accompanying music was composed ...
, translates into English as "Kingdom of Druk".
The druk (also known as a "duk" or "dug") was adopted as an emblem by the
Drukpa Lineage
The Drukpa or Drukpa Kagyu () lineage, sometimes called Dugpa in older sources, is a branch of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Kagyu school is one of the Sarma or "New Translation" schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Drukpa lineage w ...
, which originated in
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
and spread to Bhutan. According to traditional accounts, when the sect's founder,
Tsangpa Gyare
The great ascetic Drogon Tsangpa Gyare (1161–1211) was the main disciple of Lingchen Repa Pema Dorje and the founder of the Drukpa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism the main or central branch of which was, until the 17th century, transmitted by his ...
, 1st
Gyalwang Drukpa
The Gyalwang Drukpa () is the honorific title of the head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, one of the independent Sarma (new) schools of Vajrayana Buddhism
''Vajrayāna'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhy ...
, began to build
Ralung Monastery
Ralung Monastery (), located in the Tsang region of western Tibet south of Karo Pass, is the traditional seat of the Drukpa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded in 1180 by Tsangpa Gyare, 1st Gyalwang Drukpa, a disciple of Lingje Répa ...
, there was a violent storm. Thunder, or the "Cloud-Voice", is seen as the roar of the dragon.
Deciding that this was an omen, he named the monastery Drug-Ralung, adding the word "thunder dragon" to the name. The disciples at the monastery were known as Drugpa, or "Those of the Thunder."
As of the 1900s, the Grand Lama of Bhutan wore a hat with thunder dragons on it to signify the origins of the sect.
As the sect became more popular, it set up monasteries in what is now Bhutan, with the result that the area became known as Dug Yul, or Land of Thunder, among both Tibetans and Bhutanese.
See also
*
Emblem of Bhutan
The Emblem of Bhutan (རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་ལས་རྟགས་) maintains several elements of the flag of Bhutan, with slightly different artistry, and contains Buddhist symbolism.
The emblem was designed by a Mongolian artist and ...
*
Bakunawa
The Bakunawa, also called the Philippine moon-eating dragon, the Philippine moon dragon, moon dragon, or the moon-eating dragon, is a serpent, that looks like a Dragon in Philippine mythology. It is believed to be the cause of eclipses, earthqu ...
*
Chinese dragon
The Chinese dragon or loong is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture generally. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms, such as Bixi (mythology), turtles and Chiwen, fish, but are most commonly ...
*
Japanese dragon
Japanese dragons (, ''Nihon no ryū'') are diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and the Indian subcontinent. The ...
*
Korean dragon
Korean dragons () are legendary creatures in Korean mythology and folklore. It is also called ''Mir'' or ''Miri'' in Native Korean.
In Korean mythology and culture
Whereas most dragons in European mythology are linked to the elements of fire a ...
*
Pakhangba
*
Vietnamese dragon
Vietnamese dragons (; ; Sino-Vietnamese: ''Long''; ) are symbolic creatures in Vietnamese folklore and mythology. According to an ancient origin myth, the Vietnamese people are descended from a dragon and an Immortal. The dragon was symbolic o ...
References
{{Dragons
Asian dragons
Bhutanese legendary creatures
National symbols of Bhutan
Tibetan legendary creatures