His Holiness the 70th Je Khenpo Trulku Jigme Choedra — the Chief Abbot of the Zhung Dratshang and the principal religious figure of contemporary Bhutan.

The office of the Je Khenpo

The Je Khenpo is the Chief Abbot of the Zhung Dratshang — the central monk body of Bhutan, the principal Drukpa Kagyu institutional establishment that the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal founded in the 17th century. The office is held for life or until voluntary retirement. The Je Khenpo presides over the Zhung Dratshang's principal religious functions: the major state-religious ceremonies, the principal tshechu festivals at the dzongs that the Je Khenpo personally attends, the consecration of the principal monasteries and religious sites, and the principal religious-and-cultural counterpart to the head-of-state functions that His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo performs. The Je Khenpo is one of the most-revered figures in contemporary Bhutan; the office is the principal religious leadership role within the dominant Drukpa Kagyu institutional. See [[drukpa-kagyu|Drukpa Kagyu]] and [[vajrayana-buddhism|Vajrayana Buddhism]] for the broader institutional context.

The Zhung Dratshang institutional tradition

The Je Khenpo heads the Zhung Dratshang — the central monk body of Bhutan, headquartered at Tashichho Dzong (Thimphu) in summer and Punakha Dzong in winter, following the seasonal migration that the Zhabdrung established. The Zhung Dratshang operates the principal central monastic establishments and oversees the regional monk bodies (Rabdeys) at the dzongs across the country. The institutional framework — established by the Zhabdrung in the 17th century — has operated continuously through the 1907 transition to the Wangchuck monarchy and the 2008 transition to constitutional democracy. The Zhung Dratshang and the Je Khenpo are funded through the Royal Government within the constitutional framework; the religious-state tradition operates within the cultural-and-religious continuity that the Bhutanese institutional framework provides.

Common questions

What is the relationship between the Je Khenpo and the Druk Gyalpo?

The Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and the Druk Gyalpo (King) are the two principal heads of state in the Bhutanese Choesi institutional framework — the religious-and-secular dual-government tradition that the Zhabdrung established in the 17th century. In the contemporary constitutional framework, the Druk Gyalpo is the head of state with secular institutional authority; the Je Khenpo is the principal religious head with authority over the Zhung Dratshang central monk body. Both offices operate within the broader institutional framework with mutual respect; the principal state-religious events typically include both registers.

Can I meet the Je Khenpo during my trip?

Essentially no — arranged audiences with the Je Khenpo are not available to international visitors. Visitors may see the Je Khenpo at the principal tshechu festivals or major state-religious events; the encounter is observational rather than personal. The matched guide knows the Je Khenpo's public schedule and briefs visitors where relevant.

How is the Je Khenpo selected?

Through the Bhutanese senior monastic council process. The position is held for life or until voluntary retirement; on succession, the senior monastic council identifies the most-suitable candidate from among the principal incarnate-lama and senior-monastic figures available. The principal qualifications are substantial religious-training accomplishment, recognised tulku status, and the institutional standing within the Drukpa Kagyu. The process operates independently within the religious institutional framework.