FREE
CHINESE TATTOOS
Instantly receive your FREE Sample Custom Tattoo Ideas Pack
Delivered
directly to your email inbox.
Submit
form
Hi
Athena,
Just wanted to say *Great Job*. I Really liked your suggestions.
Bob J. NY
Athena,
I'm so glad I found this site before gettin my tatoo. Tattoo
looks coooool! x
Suzie K. Toronto
Fantastic
service Athena. Expect more requests from my buddies.
Jay. Sacramento
Miss
Min,
Looks
very nice with Character from you. I feel pride. Thanking you
from Singapore
Tam S. Singapore
Athena,
AWESOME
symbols. Thanx for the cool suggestions.
Brad
M. Wyoming
Hey
Athena,
My
gf says you *rock*. She loved the translation of my name. Shes
gonna order a translation for her mom this week.
Peter
S . Iowa
Athena,
COOOL
characters :) You are so clever. I LOVE the translation you
did for me. Thanks a lot.
Jolie
M . NZ
Athena,
I've
tried other sites and they are a rip off. Your stuff is THE
BEST. My brother will be ordering from you next week, look out
for an order from Jake.
Alan
W . NY
Athena,
Great site, great products. I love my tattoo thanks to you.
Helen
G. Notts (UK)
Min
Athena,
Even for Chinese tattoo character from your is better than from
most native. Thank you for suggestion on me.
Jackie
Wong - AUS
|
Tattoos in Chinese Tribes
Tattoos have been important in Chinese minority
tribes for centuries. We explore why.
| The
Chinese Dai & Drung and minorities carry forward customs
surrounding tattoos from their forefathers. Amongst Drung
ethnic minorities, females tattoo their faces. Historically,
female children were tattooed at the age of twelve or
thirteen as a sign of sexual maturity.
The procedure was as follows. An elderly lady would immerse
a bamboo stick into water into which was mixed ground
charcoal from a fire and then mark the tattoo design on
the girl's face.
|
|
Next
came the painful bit as she used a thorn from a bush to etch
the design into the skin as a series of dots. She'd then rub
charcoal in to provide the pigment.
This
would result in dark blue tattoo being etched on the face. It
was usual to place the tattoo between the girls' eye brows and
to make another tattoo around her mouth which looked like a
diamond. It was also common to create tattoos on the cheeks
in the form of a butterfly.
| Drung
tattoos began during a period of Chinese history known as
the late Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was around three
hundred and fifty years ago and is very famous (you may
have heard of Min Dynasty vases which are priceless). Ancient
China was very feudal and wars were common. During the Min
Dynasty period the people from Drung tribes were often attacked
by other groups. The women did not fight but were taken
prisoners and just as slave labour |
|
The
form of tattooing just described is very popular towards the
top end of the Drung River. At the other end of the river, people
prefer tattoo designs which are much more straightforward. Usually,
they consist of just 2 or 3 tattooed lines on the lower jaw.
To decrease the risk of being sexually attached, Drung ladies
has the tattoos on their faces. The reason seems bizarre to
us today but by having tattoos they aimed to make themselves
look less sexually attractive and therefore safer.
Even
though now the Drung peoples are no longer under attack from
other tribes they still keep their tattooing customs which I
think is fantastic. Drung ladies still use tattoos as a sign
of sexual maturity.
Having tattoos is also an age-old tradition of the Dai people.
You can still see these types of tattoos if you visit some villages.
Males and females are tattooed in accordance with the Dai style.
Men were tattooed on their strong muscles and women on the back
of their hands , arms or in between their eyebrows (in a similar
way to the Drung peoples). Thousands of years ago even Dai kids
had tattoo designed pricked onto their bodies when they were
five or six year old. People thought that was the best time
to have the tattoo designs marked but they were not actually
tattooed until they reach the age of fourteen or fifteen years
old. This was really a sign of reaching manhood or womanhood
and marked the end of childhood.
Unlike
other chinese tribal tattoos, there were no rigid rules for
tattoo design amongst the Dai people. They were free to choose
a tattoo design which suited them. Chinese tiger, chinese dragon
and chinese characters were popular tattoo design choices. The
tattoos were black and white and drown with the sap from plants.
Dai
peoples enjoy a rich history of tattoos. Centuries ago the Dai
people used to live near to the river and were often attacked
by "monsters" (these could have been giant crocodiles
or other reptiles). Dai peoples believed that black and white
tattoos kept these monsters at bay and they say having a tattoo
one of the most sensible ways of avoiding death or injury by
these creatures. Over millennium, tattoos lost their original
purpose and changed into a symbol of masculinity in man and
beauty in ladies.
| Nowadays,
the back of the hands are tattooed in the shape in octagonal
floral designs. They still have a spot tattooed inbetween
the eye brows of females, symbolising attractiveness. These
tattoo designs mean that Dai people can easily recognise
eachother even if they are not wearing traditional dress. |
 |
|
