In Chinese, the word Tattoo literally means “To Puncture the Body.” They have been used for many centuries in Chinese Culture however it was never considered as being as being fashionable or acceptable. The body is something that should not be defaced with tattoos.
Instead, Tattoos were used to “mark” criminals who had been convicted of a crime to banish them forever. This practice was called “Ci Pei.”
Chinese Tattoos took hold quickly in the western world, mainly due to the illusiveness of the symbols & language. Since many western Tattoo Parlours do not know or speak any form of Chinese most Tattoos are copied directly from a print. (more…)
