Driglam namzha

The Driglam Namzha traces its roots directly back to the 17th-century pronouncements of Ngawang Namgyal,[2] the first Zhabdrung Rinpoche, a Tibetan lama and military leader who sought to unify Bhutan not only politically but also culturally.

[4][5] Under the Driglam Namzha, men wear a heavy knee-length robe tied with a belt, called a gho, which is folded in such a way to form a pocket in front of the stomach.

[6] A white, raw silk sash with fringes called a kabney is worn by commoner men from the left shoulder to opposite hip, as other colors are reserved for officials and monks.

[6] The Driglam Namzha codifies the traditional rules for the construction of the religious, military, administrative, and social centers of Bhutan, which are amalgamated into fortresses known as dzongs.

As recently as 1998, by decree, all buildings must be constructed with varicolored wood frontages, small arched windows, and sloping roofs.