Bo People Hanging Coffins, Matangba
珙县麻塘坝僰人悬棺
A group of Ming-era Bo hanging coffins on the cliffs of Matangba in Gong County, with hundreds of coffins placed tens of metres up the rock face. They are a mysterious surviving example of ancient burial custom.
Along the cliffs of Matangba in Luobiao Town, Gong County, there are remains of Bo people's hanging-coffin burials that predate the Ming dynasty. The coffins were placed on wooden stakes on cliffs tens of metres high or set into rock caves. The sites are most concentrated at Dengjiayan, Jiudengdeng and Zhenzhusan. There are also red rock paintings on the cliff faces. This is one of the most typical surviving examples of hanging-coffin burial in China and is a national key cultural relic protection unit. The Bo people disappeared after they were suppressed in the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty, leaving the hanging coffins as an enduring mystery. Visitors can only view them from below, so bring binoculars. Admission is subject to on-site confirmation. It is about 130 km of mountain roads from Yibin's urban area, roughly 2.5 hours by car. It is better to start from Xingwen Stone Sea, about 50 km away.
Opening hours
08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Xingwen Stone Forest (Xingwen Global Geopark)
- Bowang Mountain
- Shunan Bamboo Sea
- Xijiashan Traditional Residence
- Hengjiang Ancient Town
- Guanying Ancient Street
- Daguan Tower, Yibin
- Hejiangmen & Three Rivers Confluence