Hanging coffins of the Bo people in Guizhou, China
The Bo people were a small, ethnic group in China that lived in the mountainous regions of Guizhou province. Their culture and lifestyle were shaped by the dramatic mountain landscape in which they lived. Although some researchers believe that a small number of the Bo people assimilated into other local minority groups and tribes over the years and may still be around today, most of the Bo people are thought to have largely disappeared during the Ming Dynasty, somewhere between 1368 and 1644.
Today, the Bo people are best known for their unique burial customs, particularly the hanging coffins they built for their dead and perched on cliffs, many of which remain to this day. This custom was believed to bring good luck to the living members of the family.
The coffins were positioned in various formations—some tucked into crevices of cliff faces, some balanced on wooden stakes, and others stacked high up into the openings of the caves.
The oldest of these coffins, dating back to the Tang dynasty, were made out of a solid piece of wood that often contained the bones of multiple bodies packed in sand. This has led some researchers to believe that when the tradition first began, the Bo people may have waited until the bodies decomposed before placing them in the hanging coffins.
There is much debate as to why the Bo people went through all the trouble of carrying their deceased up these cliffs. Some people hypothesize that they believed the spirit of the dead would return to earth, and in order for that to happen, their earthly remains must be allowed to decompose naturally. Others believe the tradition was done as a practical matter to keep animals from disturbing their loved ones' bodies.