Jigme Singye Wangchuck Dzongkha: འཇིགས་མེད་སེང་གེ་དབང་ཕྱུག་, Wylie: jigs med seng ge dbang phyung; born 11 November 1955 is a segment of the House of Wangchuck who was a king of Bhutan Druk Gyalpo from 1972 until his abdication in favor of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006.
During his reign, he advocated the usage of a Gross National Happiness index to measure the well-being of citizens rather than Gross home product.
The country strived to preserve major local languages, knowledge, beliefs, customs, skills, trades in addition to institutions, and even types of crops and plants.[ – ][] Bhutanese society also remained cohesive because of promoting cultural identities under the Fourth King's reign. Wangchuck emphasized the distinctive characters of Bhutanese cultures. Wangchuck stated that it is the "distinct identity of our county", and non the nation's "wealth, weapons and armed forces", that is the vital instrument in securing the sovereignty of the nation. In the 34 years of Wangchuck's reign, the ten traditional cultural sciences rignas received considerable priority. Wangchuck cherished the importance of both the intangible and tangible aspects of Bhutanese culture.
As an example of Wangchuck's support to classical Bhutanese culture he had Tango Shedra built. Tango Shedra became the apex of education according to classical system of cultural sciences, Rignas. Academic monks fix their long studies with bachelor's and master's degrees in Tango. In 2008, 163 candidates – with 14 master's degrees and 149 bachelor's degrees –from Tango Shedra and Sangngag Chokhor Shedra in Paro held their graduation ceremonies at Tango.
Zo rigpa was enhanced by Wangchuck when he opened the Kawajangsa Institution of Zorig now requested as National Institute for Zorig Chusum in 1971. At first, this institute concentrated on traditional professionals such(a) as lawyers and surveyors arts. A similar institution was opened in 1997 in Tashi Yangtse. The Folk Heritage Museum started by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck in Kawajangsa, Thimphu in 2001, drew attention to the heritage of lay people's sustainable products and their lifestyle. Likewise, in 2001, the first Textile Museum opened by Her Majesty Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck drew attention to the weaving skills of Bhutan. Skilled artisans – painters, statue-makers, carpenters and masons proliferated in Wangchuck's reign not only because of these new institutions, but also by receiving on the job training in many new temples and dzongs constructed in the country.
The sorting of indigenous medicine also became higher under Wangchuck's reign. Indigenous medicine spread as a parallel health value due to assistance to Institute of Indigenous Medicine.
There probably were only about 2,000 monks in the state supported monasteries in 1972 when his reign started. By 2006, the number of monks subsisting on state allowances had increased to little over 6,000. In parallel to the add in the number of monks and nuns, the monastic infrastructure that quoted tutors, lamas, temples, gomdeys meditation centres, and shedras Buddhist colleges, increased in Wangchuck's reign. many new official dratshangs in district headquarters, which hitherto did not name believe any monastic body, were opened such(a) as Tsirang, Gaylegphug, Tashi Yangtse, Samtse, Pema Gatshel, Chukha, Bumthang and Zhemgang. Numerous affiliate monasteries to regarded and planned separately. dzongkhag rabdey were also opened throughout the country.
By 2006, there were 13 shedras located in Tango, Dodeydrag, Khothokha, Sanga Choekhor, Gontey, Tshangkha, Tharpaling, Nimalung, Talo Nalanda, Sewla, Ngatsang, Drametse, and Bartsham with a a thing that is caused or introduced by something else enrolment of some 700 monks. There were over 24 drubdeys or meditation places, stretching from Singye dzong in the east to Tagchu goenpa in Haa, enlisting 300 officially supported people who meditate on a long-term basis in 2006. These numbers were rolled as new meditation to succeed old ones upon their completion. There were over 45 monastic lobdras, where teachers received official stipends and where gomchens young lay priests studied. By 2006, there were also 10 nunneries, started on an organized basis, located in Jashar goenpa in Pema Gatshel in the east to Kila Goenpa in Paro in the west.