In the name of art

By Paula Taylor (JIN Magazine)
Updated: 2012-10-08

When I first came to China and saw a woman smoking I was shocked as it was not a common sight. My friends told me ladies of around 60 years and up smoke, but young women do not. Four years later and there definitely has been a change. Now although it is still not the norm, the sight of a younger woman smoking does not shock, just causes raised eyebrows. My friends, Chinese, Japanese and Korean alike tell me that only bad girls smoke, so there is still a stigma attached in Asia.

A Chinese tatoo artist is working. Photos provided to China Daily

Another practice that has still not gained widespread respectability is tattooing. Whilst in the west tattoos have moved on from the seedy underbelly of society and gained mainstream popularity, in the east it still has bad connotations.

Once upon a time in the west sailors and soldiers had tattoos and were viewed to be macho. Civilian men who had tattoos were viewed to be daring, cool and edgy. At one time women that got tattoos were viewed as freaks, so much so that every circus worth its salt included a tattooed lady. Now however the tide has turned and what was once risqué is commonplace and boring, female celebrities have myriad tattoos covering their bodies, in short tattoos are old hat.

In China it is rare to see a man with tattoos and even rarer still to see a woman with one, so when I saw a Chinese woman with a few I had to speak to her about it. She told me it is really popular now but the absence of tattooed women on the streets of Tianjin speaks volumes.

In the east, as in many other places, gang membership requires tattoos. In Japan, tattoos as an art medium are viewed as taboo for most people, because the Japanese mafia the Yakuza, all sport them. It would be impossible there for someone looking for work to find a decent job if they had tattoos. In China it is pretty much the same thing.

Of course, the best way to find out how Chinese people view things is to ask. So I did, and some of the reactions were so extreme they made me gasp, although I totally understood where they were coming from. A small number felt that tattoos made a person look interesting and different. For the most part though, tattoos are taboo. How would they view a Chinese woman with a tattoo? Monica felt that only an unusual person with an alternative lifestyle and experiences would have one. Iris cited Japan’s mafia and street ruffians/bullies as having tattoos, so I think we can take that as a definite no-no in her book. Shawn felt that no decent person would have a tattoo, only someone that drinks and frequents Karaoke bars. Taylor said that only bad women would have them. One or two felt that they looked good.

Now to the crux of the matter. I asked the same people if they had tattoos and the universal answer was no, even the few that expressed that they thought they looked good do not have them themselves. Most people also had no plans to get one as they felt that they would regret it.

What would happen if they did get tattoos, what would the people around them think? Monica said her parents would be angry. Joker said it was none his parents’ business, although he quickly followed it up by saying that he would not tell them if he did get one. Shawn said his parents would be hurt and that Chinese people’s point of view is that their skin has been given to them by their parents, so it shouldn’t be messed around with. Taylor said that if he got a tattoo he would have to hide it as his parents would go crazy. Only one person said that his parents didn’t care. What Iris said made me laugh out loud. She said that if she got a tattoo, not only would her mother not be able to accept it, but also that she would get a knife and gouge out the offending tattooed flesh. She would also nag Iris for the rest of her life.

So you see, Chinese people see things very differently to us and their society is still not ready to accept some of the things that are the norm for us. We may think that as foreigners here it does not matter what they think of us and one day we will go home. That of course is true, but what is also true is that how they view us will definitely affect the way we are able to operate here. Imagine going for a job interview and the boss catches sight of your tattoo. He may be broadminded enough not to mind, but then again…….. If you are teaching English to children and their parents discover you have tattoos, it will definitely, as far as they are concerned, affect your ability to teach well.

Zhang Jike, Chinese Olympic gold medalist in table tennis exposed his tatoo after the game. Photos provided to China Daily

Once Chinese people form opinions it is not easy to get them to change their minds. For us a tattoo is a personal expression which nobody has the right to judge us on. Many people get the names of loved ones inked on their bodies.I know of someone whose two children were killed in a fire and she got their names tattooed on her back. For her this was a way of keeping her children always close to her. Whilst we understand these sentiments, this is not something any Chinese parents would do should disaster befall their children.

Making yourself aware of what local culture dictates is a shrewd move, it can be the deciding factor as to whether you fail or succeed here. Whilst we probably may feel that Chinese people do not care what we do, actually they do care, they watch us and form opinions based largely on what they see. If our tattoos are noticeable, we will be judged and found wanting. Whilst tattoos are a personal choice, so are the opinions that Chinese people hold. It will be a long time before they jump en masse onto the tattoo bandwagon. One of the things Chinese people fear the most is standing out as different and that other people will criticise them for it. When I asked my Chinese Tutor if she would get a tattoo, she shouted “IMPOSSIBLE!Only people who lead bad lives get tattoos or they think a drug addict’s life is fun”. Okay that’s a no.

Therefore if you have tattoos and don’t want to be thought of as a drunk that frequents karaoke bars, be discreet. Men, if you have a Chinese girlfriend and go to meet her folks, cover up those tattoos, or you may find that they are opposed to more than the fact that you are a laowai, you will just confirm that you are no good. Ladies, be careful if you have tattoos on show and are hoping for a Chinese company to give you work, bosses are likely to turn you down because of them rather than any weakness in your CV.