This meal could be my last. This walk, too. And when I go to sleep tonight, I might not wake up tomorrow. For many Bhutanese, reminders of their imminent demise are woven into the weft of daily life. Tsa-tsas – palm-sized cones moulded by monks from the ashes of loved ones – are speckled across caves and roadsides in prayers for the departed. White flags hoisted on poles bristle on mountain tops, releasing well-wishes into the wind. In the country’s numerous temples, flesh-devouring demons, skulls and hellish monsters dance across the walls in timeworn Technicolor. All there to remind you: you’re going to die.
這頓飯可能是我的最後一餐，這次散步也是如此。而當我今晚入睡時，明天可能醒不過來。對於許多不丹人來說，對他們即將死亡的提醒被編織進日常生活的經緯中。Tsa-tsas——由僧侶用親人的骨灰製成的手掌大小的錐體——散佈在洞穴和路邊，爲逝者祈禱。豎立在山頂的白旗在風中飄揚，傳遞著美好的祝願。在這個國家的衆多寺廟中，食肉惡魔、骷髏和地獄怪物在古老的彩色壁畫上舞動。所有這些都是爲了提醒你：你終將死去。