Ancient Chinese tattooing: Modern vs early forms

Modern day Chinese tattoo

Early Chinese tattoo

Ancient Chinese tattooing

Tattoo in Early China: by Carrie Reed

Paraphrase:    

Tattoos in ancient China had various meanings, but for the most part were vastly discouraged, “highly stigmatized” and socially “ostracized”.  Throughout the different Chinese civilizations, tattoos were frequently seen as a mark for lower social class. For the Chinese people tattooing was not a common practice and was used mainly for four reasons; as a mark of “punishment”, “slavery” , ”decoration” and “barbarism”.  (Reed 360-375)  

Summary:

            Tattoo in Early China is an academic journal whose main purpose is to discuss the conflicting cultural views of Chinese tattoos in the social classes. Often the higher and middle classes viewed tattooing as lower class, an uncivilized marking for criminals and slaves. In other portions of the country tattoos on men symbolized honor and tattoos on women represented marriage. 

Quotation:

            “Tattoo is in fact the epitome of uncivilized practice, since it patterns the human body like the skin of an animal...” (Reed 363)

Tattoo Madness

Short clip I made of some of the strangest but creative tattoos out there...

Tattoos: Travis Barker

Travis Barker, a musician and well-known drummer for the American band Blink 182.

Tattoos

Tattoos. Sounds a lot like taboo right? In some cultures it is just that, something that is prohibited but often leads to social discrimination.Take the American culture for instance if a guy walks in for an interview looking like Travis Barker, chances are his "lucky charm" tattoo just cost him the job. However in other cultures tattoos are just the opposite, so for my k-log i will explore the significance of a tattoo to different cultures and people around the world.