The Hanging Coffin
First appearing during the Spring and Autumn Period
(722-481BC), hanging coffin is a unique funeral and sacrifice custom of the
minority groups in southern China. People put the bodies of their ancestors into
wooden coffins that were later placed in caves of precipitous cliffsides.
Most coffins were made with one whole piece of wood into various shapes. It
was said that the hanging coffins could prevent bodies from being taken by
beasts and also bless the soul eternally.
Famous Hanging Coffin Sites :
While hanging coffins can be found in many places in China, the strange thing
is all of them only existed for a certain period in history. Those in Wuyi
Mountain are the first appear in China, as early as in the Zhou Dynasty
(1027-777BC) while those in Gongxian County of Southwest china's Sichuan
province are the most recent, which also marked the end of the hanging coffin
Hanging Coffins of Bo People in Gongxian, Sichuan Provinve
Hanging Coffins of Guyue People in Dragon Tiger Mountain
Hanging Coffins of Guyue People in Wuyi Mountain
Mysteries about Hanging Coffin:
Upon seeing the hanging coffins, visitors can't help asking: Why did the
ancient people bury the dead in hanging coffins? How did they do
this? These have been mysteries about the hanging coffins for
Hanging Coffins in Gongxian County
Location: Gongxian County of Yibin, Sichuan Province
Route: There are buses at Ximen Station in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan
Province, from Chengdu to Yibin, where buses to Gongxian County are available at
Nanmen Bus Station. There are other places of interest worth going: Wingwen
Stone Forest, Shunan Bamboo Forest, just to name a few.
Recommended: dark red mural paintings on the Cliffside
Opening hours: 8:00 a.m-18:00 p.m
Hanging Coffins in Longhu Shan (Dragon Tiger
Route: Within the Longhu Shan (Dragon Tiger Mountain) Scenic Area, 20
kilometers southwest of Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province.
How to get t: Trains are available from Nanchang to Yingtan, where travelers
can either take a bus to the scenic spot or spend a night there. Longhu Shan is
located in the southwest suburb of Yingtan City. Within the scenic spot, there
are plenty of places to go and numerous hanging coffins can be found on the
cliffside of the Fairy-Water Rocks.
Recommended: Hanging coffins on the cliffside of the fairy mountain and water
Open Hours: 8:30 a.m-17:00 p.m
Hanging Coffins in Wuyi Mountain
Location:Within the Wuyishan Scenic Area of Fujian Province
Route: Wuyishan Scenic Spot is about 15 km away from Wuyishan Airport, so
travelers at the airport can either take a taxi or a bus there. Also, there is a
fast train each dayg from Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou to Wuyishan. Within the
scenic spot, bus stations are set up at Sangu, Wuyi Palace, and Star Village.
Travelers can take a bus to Jiuquxi (Nine Turn Brook) where hanging coffins can
Recommended: Jiuquxi (Nine Turn Brook) Scenic Spot
Best Time to go: June and July