In Bhutan, Gross National Happiness More Important

 

Prayer flags fly high in the wind across steep valleys and roads in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Many visitors remember seeing Bhutan’s Buddhist¹ religious centers and stately looking defenses called zhongs. Others might recall large water-powered prayer wheels spinning near waterfalls or farmers watching over long-haired yaks² in the countryside.

Bhutan is the last remaining Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas. The country lies between India and China, but it has never been captured or colonized⁴.

Bhutan still has much of its ancient culture. But it is attempting to become more modern without sacrificing its independence, culture or natural environment.

Bhutan advertises itself as an “exclusive⁵” place to visit through “high value, low impact” tourism. Foreign visitors usually travel there by way of India or other nearby countries. Tourists can only visit Bhutan by signing up with licensed⁶ tour operators. The cost is between $200 and $250 a day, depending on the time of year. The government uses some of that money to pay for health care, schools and public services.

In the 1970s, the fourth king of Bhutan proposed an unusual method for measuring the country’s success. Unlike traditional measures, like the gross⁸ domestic⁹ product, the king suggested what he called gross national happiness. Gross national happiness means efforts in support of sustainable development, education and health, and valuing societal good over economic growth.

The smoking of cigarettes is banned in the kingdom. In addition, Bhutan is the world’s only carbon-negative country. That means it produces less carbon than its forests and other plants take in.

In 2016, the fifth and current king created the Laya Royal Highlander¹⁰ Festival, an event designed to bring tourists. The celebration takes place in October. It includes events like yak³ judging, wrestling competitions, pony¹² races and native dancing.

Tourists attending the highland¹¹ festival have to travel a total of 58 kilometers, from a height of 1,830 meters to more than 3,800 meters above sea level. Many paths along the way are rocky. Tour groups use donkeys to carry fuel, tents and other supplies. Rain can make those trails dangerous for both the animals and festival goers.

But the difficult conditions did not stop Bhutan’s king from attending the event last October. He made the trip in only a few hours. Most tourists, however, compete the trip in two days.

One popular festival event is a race called the nyagay. Six women wearing yak-wool skirts pull large pieces of wood halfway¹³ across a field. They then drop the wood and place 23 kilogram sacks of grain on the backs of their male partners. The women then climb on the men’s backs. The men pick up the wood, then race back to the starting line.

Festival organizers covered a tent with gold and set up a throne-like chair for the king. But he spent most of his time greeting people. Before the start of the pony race, food was served. Hundreds of villagers and visitors sat cross-legged as helpers served rice, vegetable curries¹⁴ and hot butter tea. All of the food was provided by the king. And everyone seemed very happy.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

exclusive – adj. not shared; available to only one person or group

gross domestic product – n. the total value of the goods and services produced by the people of a nation during a year not including the value of income earned in foreign countries.

promote – v. to make people aware of something; to make something more popular

steep – adj. almost straight up and down; rising or falling very sharply¹⁵

license⁷ – n. an official document; a card or paper that gives you permission to do something

impact – n. a major influence or effect

tourism – n. the custom of traveling for recreation

throne – n. the ceremonial chair of a ruler

yak – n. a large, long-haired animal

pony – n. a small horse

1 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

2 yaks   

牦牛( yak的名词复数 )； 笑话

参考例句：

• The jokes get yaks. 那笑话引人发笑。
• Social species including birds, fish and yaks must have companionship. 习惯群居的生物，包括鸟类、鱼类和（牛毛）牛必须有伙伴。

3 yak   

n.牦牛

参考例句：

• The most common materials Tibetan jewelry are Yak bone.藏饰最常见的材料当属牦牛骨。
• We can sell yak skin,meat and wool.我们可以卖牦牛的皮、肉和毛。

4 colonized   

开拓殖民地，移民于殖民地( colonize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The area was colonized by the Vikings. 这一地区曾沦为维京人的殖民地。
• The British and French colonized the Americas. 英国人和法国人共同在美洲建立殖民地。

5 exclusive   

adj.不包括的，不算在内的，独有的，独享的

参考例句：

• The hotel charges 6 pounds a day,exclusive of meals.这家旅馆一天收六英镑，不包括饭钱。
• This bathroom is for the President's exclusive use.这间浴室是总统专用的。

6 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

7 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

8 gross   

adj.全部的，粗俗的，肥胖的；vt.获得...总收入

参考例句：

• The gross weight of the box of chocolates is 500 grams.那盒巧克力的全部重量是500克。
• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。

9 domestic   

adj.家里的，国内的，本国的；n.家仆，佣人

参考例句：

• This is domestic news.这是国内新闻。
• She does the domestic affairs every day.她每天都忙家务。

10 highlander   

n.高地的人，苏格兰高地地区的人

参考例句：

• They call him the highlander, he is Rory McLeod! 他们叫他寻事者，他是罗瑞·麦克劳德！ 来自互联网

11 highland   

n.(pl.)高地，山地

参考例句：

• The highland game is part of Scotland's cultural heritage.苏格兰高地游戏是苏格兰文化遗产的一部分。
• The highland forests where few hunters venture have long been the bear's sanctuary.这片只有少数猎人涉险的高山森林，一直都是黑熊的避难所。

12 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

13 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

14 curries   

n.咖喱食品( curry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Coconut is a basic ingredient for many curries. 椰子是多种咖喱菜的基本成分。
• Coriander is used in Indian curries, gin, American cigarettes, and sausage. 胡荽多被用在：印度咖哩粉，杜松子酒，美国香烟，香肠。 来自互联网

15 sharply   

adj.锐利地，急速；adv.严厉地，鲜明地

参考例句：

• The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
• Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。