Joyig script

Jogyig
Lhoyig • Mönyig • Drukyig
མགྱོགས་ཡིག་
mgyogs yig
Choksat (Alphabet) chart in Joyig style used in Bhutan
Script type (a cursive adaptation of the Tibetan script)
CreatorDenma Tsemang
Period
c. 8th c.e.–present
DirectionLeft-to-right Edit this on Wikidata
LanguagesDzongkha
Related scripts
Parent systems
Sister systems
ISO 15924
ISO 15924Tibt (330), ​Tibetan
Unicode
Unicode alias
Tibetan
U+0F00–U+0FFF
(mapped to the Tibetan alphabet)

The Jôyi script or Jogyig (Dzongkha: མགྱོགས་ཡིག་) commonly referred to as the Bhutanese cursive script, is a distinct calligraphic style of the Tibetan script utilised for the Dzongkha language in Bhutan. Just as the Tibetan script developed distinct styles for formal (Üchen) and informal (Umê) contexts, the Bhutanese developed their own styles, known as Jogyig "cursive longhand" and Jôtshum "formal longhand". Jogyig is the Bhutanese equivalent for Umé, which is used for everyday handwriting.

Historically developed and used exclusively within Bhutan, Jogyig is characterised by its fluid, rapid, and continuous stroke structure, facilitating efficient handwritten communication. Known also as Mönyig (Mön script), Lhoyig (Southern script) or Drukyig (Bhutanese script), it is believed to have been drafted by the translator Denma Tsemang in the 8th century. It is considered halfway between the Üchen (དབུ་ཅན་) and Umê (ཁྱུག་ཡིག་) scripts. Because it is written quickly, it got its name Jogyig or "fast script". It is a syllabic segmental abugida with 30 consonants, 5 vowels and numerous symbols used in religious texts.

Presently, there is no standalone policy specifically for the status of Jogyig in Bhutan; however, it is widely used by government bodies, institutions, monastic groups and in everyday life. As most of the state's internal treasure texts, administrative documents, and correspondence were historically written in Jogyig, the script is a foundational component of Bhutan’s literature and cultural heritage. The Dzongkha Development Commission considers Jogyig to be the authentic script for Bhutanese.