从部分崖葬(岩洞葬、悬棺葬)棺木上的图案(棺画)出发,本文系统梳理了中国西南及毗邻的东南亚地区崖葬与岩画遗存,发现二者间有着极为密切的关系。不独如此,岩画亦可能与除崖葬以外的火葬、土葬等葬俗间有关联。结合民族学和神话学的相关研究,对部分西南系统岩画进行重新释读,发现这些地点的岩画用较大篇幅反映了当地少数民族创世神话中的有关题材,祖灵崇拜是西南系统岩画的重要内容,也正因此故,其与包括崖葬在内的墓葬间关系密切。西南系统岩画主要应是汉至明之间的作品,壮侗语族中的壮、傣、仡佬等族先民是西南系统岩画的主要创造和使用者;随族群的移动,宋代以降,与之相接的苗、瑶、彝、怒、佤等族先民亦开始使用岩画,佤族大房子壁画、画布、苗瑶棺画等,均可视作岩画的孑遗。早期岩画(汉至宋代)普遍与创世神话关系密切,借此营造祖居世界,招引亡灵归去与祖先团聚,并实现信仰中的再生。晚期岩画(宋明时期)则以马为主要图式,可能与宋廷在广西设立马市从而促进了当地马匹饲养的勃兴这一历史背景有关。崇拜祖灵,是一种万物有灵观念下取悦祖灵(并使之远离),使之造福于子孙的精神信仰,其核心是对生者有利,是禳灾祈福,这亦可视作西南系统岩画的主要功能。初步研究发现,运用民间信仰和神话传说,特别是创世神话来释读西南系统岩画是可行的,并可能是未来岩画研究的有效路径。 Based on the coffin paintings (coffins) of partial burial (cave burial, coffin burial), this paper systematically combs the remains of cliff burials and petroglyphs in southwestern China and the adjacent Southeast Asia and finds that there is a close relationship between the two. Not only that, rock paintings may also be associated with burial customs other than cremation and burial. Based on the related researches of ethnology and mythology, some rock paintings in Southwest China were re-interpreted. It was found that the petroglyphs in these places covered the related topics in the creation myths of ethnic minorities with larger space, and worship of ancestors was an important It is precisely for this reason that it is closely related to tombs, including cliff burials. The petroglyphs of the southwest system should mainly be works between the Han and Ming Dynasties. The ancestors of the Zhuang, Dai and Gelaozans in the Zhuang and Dong ethnic groups are the main creators and users of petroglyphs in the southwest system. With the movement of ethnic groups, the Song Dynasty is reduced and connected The ancestors of Miao, Yao, Yi, anger and Wa also began to use rock paintings. The murals of Wa national houses, canvas, Miao-Yao coffin, etc., can all be considered as relics of rock paintings. The early petroglyphs (from Han to Song Dynasty) are generally closely related to the myth of creation, so as to create ancestral homeland, attract the souls to return to reunite with ancestors, and realize the regeneration of faith. Late rock paintings (Song and Ming Dynasties) as the main schemata may be related to the historical background of Song Ting’s establishment of a horse market in Guangxi to promote the breeding of local horses. Worshiping the ancestral spirits is a spiritual belief that delights the ancestral souls (and keeps them away) so as to benefit their children and grandchildren. The core of the worship of the ancestral spirits is to benefit the living and to bless them, which can also be regarded as southwest The main function of rock painting system. Preliminary studies have found that it is feasible to use the folk beliefs and myths and legends, especially the creation myth to interpret the petroglyphs of the southwest system, and it may be an effective way to study rock paintings in the future.