The aim of present study is to investigate the effects and the mechanism of lncRNA MIR31HG on the proliferation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. The mRNA levels of MIR31HG were tested by qPCR in specimens of esophageal cancer and para-carcinoma tissues, as well as in esophageal epithelial cell line Het-1A and in ESCC cell lines Eca-109, EC-1 and KYSE30. MIR31HG was overexpressed in Eca-109, EC-1 and KYSE30 cells by using overexpression plasmid pcDNA3.1-MIR31HG. Cell proliferation was then tested by both MTT and SRB methods. Cell cycle progression was detected by using Cell Cycle Assay Kit, and the activity of Caspase3 in cells was tesed by Caspase3 Activity Assay Kit. The mRNA and protein levels of p53, Caspase3 and BCL-2 were measured by qPCR and Western blot. The expression of MIR31HG was significantly decreased in esophagus cancer comparing with para-carcinoma tissues, as well as in Eca-109, EC-1, KYSE30 cells comparing with Het-1A (P < 0.05). Transfection of pcDNA3.1-MIR31HG significantly increased MIR31HG expression in ESCC cell lines(P < 0.01), inhibited cell viability, reduced S-phase cells numbers and increased the G1-phase cells numbers (P < 0.05). These results suggested that MIR31HG may reduce cell viability of ESCC cells though impeding cell cycle. Moreover, MIR31HG overexpression also significantly increased Caspase3 activity, Caspase3 and p53 expression and decreased Bcl-2 expression in ESCC cells (P < 0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that MIR31HG may hinder the development of esophageal cancer by inhibiting the proliferation of ESCC cells, which may provide a new strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer.