About
Riyang Books is a small, Bhutan- based publishing house owned and operated by author, Kunzang Choden and her family. It was founded in November 2012 out of a deep love for literature and the written word as well as a desire to create a welcoming space to encourage and support creative work in Bhutan.
What does “Riyang” mean?
According to Buddhist Scholar, Dr Karma Phuntsho , Riyang could be the sounds, the voices from the mountain but perhaps more literally it means mountain melodies or tunes. It also refers to Manjushri (the Buddhist Bodhisattva of wisdom) and Yangchenma ( or the White Tara also associated with wisdom). ” Ri” and “yang” together capture the spirit of both the immovable and the ephemeral, both stability and dynamism, both male and female energies.
What does the logo for Riyang mean?
The logo is composed of the symbol that represents Manjushri enclosed in an artistic musical note
The Porcupine Slope
Children's Book
Written by Kunzang Choden
Illustrated by Pema Tshering
The Porcupine Slope “tells the story of two hungry porcupines (a mother and her daughter) who can use their wits to come up with a creative way to overcome their challenges. The story also tells us why and how porcupines came to be found in the valley of Tang.
Guru Rinpoche is Coming
Children's Book
Written by Kunzang Choden
Illustrated by Pema Tshering
This book introduces readers to the festival of Preu Chod- the day when Guru Rinpoche is said to visit every household. Told through the eyes of sweet little Yeshe, it shows us how households in Tang prepare for this special guest
Children's Book
Written by Kunzang Choden
Illustrated by Pema Tshering
Membertsho: The Flaming Lake retells the story of Pema Lingpa, a much revered Bhutanese terton or treasure revealer, who discovered sacred treasures hidden by Guru Rinpoch ( the great Buddhist master, who brought Buddhism to Bhutan). Guided by his faith, Pema Lingpa dove into Membertsho, the so-called burning lake holding a butter lamp to guide his way. He emerged unharmed with the treasures and the butter lamp still alight, proving his spiritual power. This story reflects Bhutan's reverence for sacred sites like Membertsho.
Membar Tsho: The Flaming Lake
Guru Rinpoche is Coming
Children's Book
Written by Kunzang Choden
Illustrated by Pema Tshering
Monk Chasing Monkey
Fiction | Young Adult
Written by Kunzang Choden
Ogyen Choling: A Manor in Central Bhutran
Non Fiction
Edited by Kunzang Choden and Dolma Roder
The Successor of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel Hereditary Heirs and Reincarnations
Non Fiction
Written by Yoshiro Imaeda
Mipham's Dialectics and the Debates on Emptiness
Non Fiction
Written by Karma Phuntsho
Dawa: The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan
Fiction | Young Adult
Written by Kunzang Choden
Children's Book
Written by Kunzang Choden
Illustrated by Yoko Inshigami
Ashi Tshomen is a story inspired by Bhutanese beliefs in the lu- a spirit associated with bodies of water like lakes. Lu like to live in clean and pure surroundings and are easily angered when humans pollute the water bodies where they live. In the story Ashi Tshomen, a curious and compassionate young mermaid princess, learns an important lesson about the balance between humans and the environment where they live.
Ashi Tshomen: The Mermaid Princesss
Dorji
Fiction
Written by Alex Rothman
Enchanted by Bhutan
Non Fiction
Written by Yoshiro Imaeda
…folden into a paper boat
Poetry
Edited by Dolma Roder, Kunzang Choki and Sonam Deki
Tshegho: The Garment of Life
Children's Book
Written by Kunzang Choden
Illustrated by Yoko Inshigami