What Do Tattoos Mean To Young People Under 20 In The Cities In China

IEP Research Paper#1
Professor: Channing Burt
4/10/2017
Shavonne Yang
The Meaning of Tattoos in China
Tattooing has indeed become a part of popular culture in the world, especially in China. Currently, having a tattoo has become more about fashion than an expression with a particular meaning. It is normal nowadays to see people in the street who have tattoos on their arms and legs. Initially, having a tattoo meant that someone was a criminal or they were associated with a particular group of people who identify themselves with a mark on their bodies. However, this notion was soon discarded and forgotten when the young generation adopted tattooing for leisure purposes. Teenagers all over the world are currently fighting against the old norms and installing their own. In China, for example, teenagers have adopted tattooing, and albeit using it for different reasons, it is clear that they are moving away from the old values and cultures. The above, therefore, brings us to the question: what do tattoos mean to young people who are under 20 years old in the modern cities of China? One fact remains, though, tattoos are now more common than before and having one can either function as a show of rebellion, be a simple decoration, or serve as an important imprint that helps to identify a person with a particular group of people. In this article, the author will address the question above and illustrate or reveal some of the reasons why young people in China find tattoos appealing.
Why do tattoos have so many meanings and sometimes even become unacceptable in the society? The above question can be answered by retrieving the history of tattoos in China. According to history, most people in China are from the Han ethnic group. There are only few people from other ethnics such as Man or Yi. The meaning of Man and Yi in Chinese relates to non-educated people, in other words, barbarians. Initially, tattoos appeared on people from Man, Yi and Yue. According to the article Tattoo in Early China, “The first kind of the reference to tattoo to be discussed is probably the most widely known among sinologists. We know from historical records, poetry and other sources that many people in the areas surrounding the ‘central kingdoms’ tattooed their bodies. Most of the records refer to Man or Yi barbarians, broad terms that refer to various tribes located mostly in the regions south of the Yangzi River, such as present-day Guangzhou, Zhejiang, and northern Vietnam” (Carrie E. Reed 361). Therefore, tattoos were not acceptable for many people during that time. Daphne (102) agrees with Reed and states that “tattooing, associated with ethnic minority culture, has taken on the connotation of primitivism and barbarism.” History still influences people’s opinions of tattoos in China, even today. People with tattoos were always considered as “, criminals” and “bad” and this narrative was widely believed to be true. Reed (361) explains that “the types of tattoos that are often mentioned in early Chinese sources are: tattoos as one defining characteristic of people different from the majority population, tattoo as punishment, tattoo of slaves, etc.” News has surfaced of people who are still being judged because of their love for tattoos even though times have changed. According to a certain story reported by CNN, a tattoo artist known as ZhengfeiQiao was forced to leave her hometown Xiamen because she opened a tattoo studio. To the members of the public, Qiao’s studio was a meeting point for gangs and therefore, she could not be allowed to continue living there. Eventually, ZhengfeiQiao had to move to Beijing to run her business instead.
The current crop of teenagers is known to be outgoing and fast learners. The presence of the Internet has also made things easier for them because the ideas are now flowing irrespective of geographical distance. Anything that is unacceptable in the society has always been used as a tool for rebellion by the young generation and the same case applies to tattoos. Qiao’s case gave some young people an idea of what they can adopt for them to stand out of be different in society. Teenagers are always eager to challenge authority and anything the society disregards is taken as an invite to try. Like ZhengfeiQiao, most teenagers are often at loggerheads with their parents and therefore, look for ways they can make them angry or be a nuisance. Conversely, parents, in the spirit of taking care and protecting their sons and daughters, often try to shield and at times dictate the direction the lives of their children will take. However, in a world where teenagers are earning their spotlight by doing that which they love, parents find it difficult to control their children. ZhengfeiQiao confirmed that she learned tattooing mainly because she wanted to go against her parent’s wishes and this is indeed typical teenage behavior. While some parents have no issues with their children getting tattoos, others still judge it as being criminally motivated and therefore, deny their children the chance of “inking” their bodies. Teenagers have been rebelling against their parents since time immemorial, but tattooing is indeed a permanent way of telling off one’s parents.
Tattoos are also an extreme way of expressing one’s ideas and, feelings and this is mainly enhanced because of their permanent nature. As tattooing gradually became common practice, teenagers, as a group of people usually more impetuous than adults, get tattoos to express their own ideas which sometimes really different from older people in order to challenge their authorities. “A tattooed body, as a site of representation, acted as a surface to display one’s identity to others” (Lorrie Blair 41). Although not as popular as the other reasons, some teenagers also get tattoos to express their ideas or feelings towards something or someone. For example, wrestling fans often get the name of their favorite wrestlers tattooed or have their favorite quotes tattooed. Others are going as far as identifying with some political views and therefore, find tattoos as the only way of making sure that people know they...