I’m sure all of my fellow Asian Americans under a certain age have seen this — a non-Asian person with tattoos in different Asian languages like Chinese and Japanese because they’re in an exotic language that they don’t understand. It’s kinda painful when someone who’s fluent in these languages have to point out that the words in the tattoo can sometimes be completely wrong — and mean something totally different and offensive (like our esteemed leader once wrote).
Turns out Asians in Asia are doing the exact same thing — getting tattoos in European languages because they’re considered exotic, and not caring if the meaning is incorrect.
The McClatchy news website talks about the increasing popularity of tattooing among China’s younger generation, despite many of the cultural taboos that go along with getting tattooed in China. Many of the taboos are similar to those here in the mainstream US: tattoos only belong on criminals or prostitutes. Those serving in the military or for the police must have no tattoos.
However, thanks to globalization and the extreme popularity of the NBA in China, tattooing has become more and more popular, especially among women. And because “the foreign is exotic”, as the author states, many are getting tattoos in different European languages, like Greek and English because they look cool — even if the meaning might be completely off.
Sound familiar?
And while I’m proudly tattooed myself, it is a bit concerning to see that many people on both sides of the ocean are getting tattooed because it’s a fad, not realizing that a tattoo can’t ever be completely removed and lasts forever. I agonized for years before starting to get my tattoos and other body modifications which include a body piercing and a scarification, choosing to get my bodmods in places that can’t be readily seen. Also, all my tattoos and other bodmods have pretty deep personal meaning for me. I loved getting all of them done and haven’t regretted getting any of them.
Oh, and if you ask me to show them to you, I’ll probably decline. Unless we’re swimming — or I find you hot.
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10 Comments to “Tattoos in China Become Popular (or: Exoticizing Stupid in Any Language)”
daniel wrote:
“… as he pulled his shirt off to display his former girlfriend’s name tattooed in Roman letters between his shoulder blades.”
never. never. never. ever. get a tattoo of your boy/girlfriend’s name. ever.
Posted on 20-Apr-09 at 7:29 pm | Permalink
Yoshi wrote:
i agree with daniel. nobody’s name except for my own goes permanently on my skin.
and ew, have you thought about where they’re getting tattooed? in shops or (like i got two of mine done) in some friend’s kitchen? i’d be very concerned about the potential rise of hepatitis cases or the possibility of infection because of lack of cleanliness–i doubt the industry is very regulated. do you think they autoclave their needles and instruments before they reuse them? doubtful. just thinking about it is giving me a rash.
Posted on 20-Apr-09 at 8:20 pm | Permalink
Daniel W. wrote:
lol…this is pretty interesting.
Posted on 20-Apr-09 at 9:11 pm | Permalink
Ernie wrote:
Okay, I’ll admit it — I have a tattoo, and it’s an Asian character:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ernie/212963374/
It’s my family name in Chinese. Unfortunately, my family name literally means “bear,” so my Asian friends are like “Awesome!” while my gay friends are like “hahHAHAHAHAOMGWTF.”
Posted on 20-Apr-09 at 10:38 pm | Permalink
Efren wrote:
Yoshi: Yeah, that’s what really freaks me out. Considering how high the rates of infection for hepatitis are in Asia and with the lack of regulation stated in the article, there’s no way in hell I’d get a tattoo (anywhere, not just China) unless I met with the tattoo artist saw his/her operations, especially making sure they have an autoclave. There’s too many stories of people getting nasty diseases from tattooing.
Ernie: Yeah, I was pretty much a combination of both. When you first showed it to me, I nearly spewed my tea all over the place out of sheer laughter.
My tats are an approximately equals sign on my left shoulder blade and a fish on my right thigh to commemorate my mom (long story). I also have a right nipple piercing and a scarification on my back with “bakla” in alibata/baybayin (ancient Filipino script) which is pretty hard to see unless you’re in the right light. Unless you see me swimming, or in (ahem) other situations where I’m not wearing much clothing, you wouldn’t be able to tell I have so many bodmods. I’m thinking of getting another tattoo, but I’m running out of space to put it–and I want to make it look cohesive on me, not just have random things all over my body which make no sense.
Posted on 21-Apr-09 at 8:20 am | Permalink
Moye wrote:
@Ernie HAHAHAHAHAH bear!!! include your straight Asian friends in that group, too.
If I was forced at gunpoint to get a tattoo of a Chinese character, I’d do my own name. And then change its definition every time someone asked me what it mean.
@Efren When we hang out, I am going to force you to show me all this body modification stuff.
Posted on 21-Apr-09 at 11:31 am | Permalink
Moye wrote:
and if it matters, I do have a tattoo on my ankle. But I always forget about it. It’s pretty meaningless and I still have moments where I think “I wonder what it would be like to get a tattoo…”
Posted on 21-Apr-09 at 11:34 am | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
You can’t give blood for a year after giving a tattoo, so yeah, there are definitely hazards there.
Efren, “bakla” in baybayin is really very witty. Sounds pretty painful, though.
Posted on 21-Apr-09 at 2:15 pm | Permalink
Efren wrote:
Jeff: Well, considering I’m a gay male in the US, I can’t give blood or blood products anyway. But that’s another blog post.
The scarification I had was a cutting, which actually wasn’t TOO bad (as far as other bodmod rituals of the sort go). It was amusing though because this friend of mine who considers himself punk immediately said I was more punk than he was after telling him about it. I guess I am, but I still find it funny b/c I think I’m rather mild-mannered, and identify with that subculture at all.
Posted on 21-Apr-09 at 2:22 pm | Permalink
Snuzz wrote:
Hm, I doubt it is on the same scale as non-Asian people with Asian tattoos. Don't get me wrong theres probably some around but the story has probably been made more than it is due to the irony factor.
Posted on 21-Jun-09 at 1:03 pm | Permalink
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