Monday, January 08, 2007

Hanging Coffins

I came upon a picture titled "hanging coffins". Hanging Coffins? sounds so unfamiliar! I've heard of burning the bodies of the dead, and of mummifying them, but burrying them in "hanging coffins"? This is so unheard of. My curiousity drove me to search for more information about this and here's what I got:

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.

Archeologists believe that the coffins were placed on the cliff faces in this manner so that they were closer to the heavens. Coffins were either placed in caves in the cliffs or suspended on pegs. A stairs was constructed up the cliff face so that the coffins could be placed up high.







weird!

12 comments:

Ammar said...

Where do you find this stuff?? you are you a member in the National Geographic Society? admit it..you really are!! people who walk on all four..hanging coffins..its not you're usual news items..you have to go places to find those!

bas hanging coffins sounds interesting..see I have two theories..one serious..one synical..serious first..see I think by hanging coffins they would think they're closer to God..or heaven..depending on the local belief..spirits can fly like birds and come back home to their nests/coffins
synical: so how much would a coffin with a view cost? ocean view? mountain view? and last but not least..how do they get them up there? find out in next week's episode of Tulip's wonderful world of crazy stuff!

Anonymous said...

People have one thing in common they are oll different.

Madi said...

maybe they're executing them even after death ? LOL :-)

Anonymous said...

Wierd!!!
There was a study that talked about space burial. And that in the future almost everyone will be there, since it preserves the body from decay ...etc ..etc ..etc... And it would provide front raw seats to the end of days, and probably bring the body closer to it's maker!

Anonymous said...

Interesting!

kteer 7abbeetoh.. men wain betjeebi hal2ashya2? :p

Anonymous said...

[thiking]

Wierd ...

Anonymous said...

tab efredo wa7ad menhom bedo yroo7 yeshrab mai...walla ma2lab !!
yefta7...ye6la3...weeeeeee...6eg !!

weird..bas bekono endafano bel ard we 3awamel el ta3reya 3emlat heek..maho men zaman 2a3deen !!

Anonymous said...

this is spooky

SimSim said...

interesting but weired :S

Diana said...

Averrpes I knew it! I knew that you were going to say that when I saw your name :D

Tulip's wonderful world of crazy stuff, hmmm sounds a good idea for a new header LOL.

hamede
exactly!

Qwaider
space burial? LOL, it must be the chinese idea bcuz this will definitely bring the bodies closer to their creator according to them.

Loza
these stuff find me, I do not find them :D



Sharifo
meen elle yeshrab may? the dead?
lool

Qabbani, Ola and Simsim
Yup, it is!

and last but not least..how do they get them up there? find out in next week's episode of Tulip's wonderful world of crazy stuff!

quoting Averroes!
:P

Maqsood Qureshi said...

Hmm . . . interesting! I've read about Chinese Foot Binding. But not this. I've put in on my Blog too. You'd read it.

Diana said...

Maqsood, sure I will check your blog and the post you mentioned. I like weird stuff.