Chinese tattoos are a popular form of body art, and browsing designs is also a great way to learn some interesting Chinese characters! This page does not in any way intend to encourage tattooing, as such is an entirely personal choice. However, if getting "inked" is your intention, I think you'll find more great ideas for Chinese tattoos here than anywhere else on the Internet!
Tattoos have been present in China for thousands of years. Chinese tattoos go back so many years that many reference texts provide an estimate that tattooing in China has been practiced since the Zhou and Qing dynasties. Tattoos made in China have similar functions to most other tattoos around the world. Their main purpose is to represent a particular type of significance, message or form of communication that has a meaning in someone’s life, relates to his origin, culture or religion. Even though the history of tattoos in China incorporates this same cultural underpinning and purpose commonly established with tattoos, the historic genesis of this practice differentiates itself when compared to the history of tattoos from other nations around the world in terms of significance, meaning and modern perspective.
The tattoo art is practiced in almost all the countries of the world and each nation has its own specialty. The fastest growing economy of Asia i.e. China too possesses a rich history of the body art. In the last decade that saw globalization, making its presence felt in the art and culture domain, many changes have come over us. The Chinese tattoos have also crossed their national frontiers and become common in western countries. China has a lot of popular symbols that make it stand out and gain edge in the tattoo designs. Among these the Buddha, dragon and the artistic script are most popular. People take great interest in getting these three symbols inked on their body.
