Riddle of the hanging coffins of Sichuan: The mysterious 400-year-old wooden tombs suspended on a Chinese cliff face
- - The tombs are attached to mountain cliffs in Gongxian, Sichuan province
- - Were left behind by the Bo people, thought to have died out 400 years ago
- - Some experts say they hung them on cliffs to be within reach of the gods
- - Others believe it was a handy way of keeping the bodies away from animals
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They're definitely closer to god, one way or another.
But these bizarre hanging coffins have baffled people for centuries in southern China.
The tombs - attached to mountain cliffs in Gongxian, Sichuan province - were left behind by the Bo people, believed to have died out 400 years ago.
Each coffin is made from a hollowed out single tree trunk and was originally protected by a bronze cover.
Eerie: The tombs - attached to mountain cliffs in Gongxian, Sichuan province - were left behind by the Bo people, believed to have died out 400 years ago
Who'd have trunk it? Each coffin is made from a hollowed out single tree trunk and was originally protected by a bronze cover
Mystery: Nobody really knows why the Bo people dealt with their dead in this way
'Some of the tombs are nearly 3,000 years old and the most recent date back to about 1500. Nobody really knows why they dealt with their dead in this way,' explained one local expert.
'It is believed that they thought the gods would be able to reach them more easily like that.
'People say that the hanging coffins prevented bodies from being taken by animals and also blessed the soul for all eternity.'
For the past two months these ancient hanging coffins have been undergoing renovation – the main aim being to stabilize and restore them.
More than 40 coffins were restored and a further 16 were uncovered.
Local expert Lin Chan said: 'Whilst working on restoring the hanging coffins, a further 16 were uncovered. They are over 3,000 years old and of great historical significance.
Within reach of God: Experts believe that they thought the gods would be able to reach them more easily suspended on a rock face
Safe from scavengers: It is also believed the hanging coffins prevented bodies from being taken by animals and also blessed the soul for all eternity
'The show us a lot about how our ancestors buried their dead and what their traditions were.'
'There are still hundreds of hanging coffins in the region. The lowest ones are 10 metres above the ground and the highest 130 metres above the ground.
'It is very difficult work to restore them, but it is necessary. Over the past ten years at least 20 of the coffins have fallen and this is something we want to prevent.'
The Bo were an ethnic minority living outside the borders of modern day Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. There they created a brilliant culture as early as 3,000 years ago.
Sticks and stone: But whatever the reason, the bizarre hanging coffins have baffled people for centuries in southern China
Restoration: For the past two months these ancient hanging coffins have been undergoing renovation ¿ the main aim being to stabilize and restore them
The most recent hanging coffins were made up to about 400 years ago in the middle and later periods of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), while many of the earliest ones date back 1,000 years to the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
To date, the earliest hanging coffin was one found in the Three Gorges area, dating back about 2,500 years to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC- 476 BC).
The hanging coffin was the most widespread form of burial in ancient southwest China.
However, the practice ended with the mysterious disappearance of the Bo People.
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