Tattoos are increasingly accepted by young Chinese, especially in big cities like Shanghai, where the art of tattooing is thriving. However, long-standing social stereotypes about ink marks on the skin are still common in the country of billions of people. A similar situation occurs in Japan and Korea.
“In Chinese history, tattoos were used to baseball jersey design refer to ethnic minorities or to punish criminals and slaves,” said Dr. Gareth Davey, an anthropologist and social psychologist at Webster University (Thailand). ), said.
Many ethnic minorities
use tattoos to express their own cultural identity. Photo: Shutterstock.
According to the doctor, tattooing is common among some ethnic minorities in China, expressing their own cultural identity. Girls from the Derung tribe get tattoos on their faces during puberty as a sign of adulthood. In the Dai tribe, men tattoo their bodies, while women tattoo their hands, arms or face.
In Japan, Li or Ainu women consider tattooing a mandatory requirement before marriage. The Ainu people believe that tattoos have magic and will protect them. However, because of those tattoos, they are considered "uncivilized" by the Han people.
Characteristic of crime
In countries like Japan and Korea, although young people have a positive attitude towards tattoo culture, many older generations still hold their own.
They believe that the tattoo has no good meaning because it is often associated with criminal gangs like the yakuza. In the land of cherry blossoms, anyone with a tattoo is often subjected to the aversion and scrutiny of others.
In addition
tattoos go against Confucian values of 3d shirt filial piety. Accordingly, people must avoid causing injury to the body that their parents have given them. This cultural belief is also common in Japanese and Korean society.
In the land of cherry blossoms
tattoos were associated with crimes and were used as punishment during the Kofun period (300-538). It was not until 1948 that the art of tattooing was legalized.
Currently, public baths and swimming pools in Japan and South Korea still ban customers with tattoos to limit the appearance of thugs. In addition, tattooing without a medical license is also considered illegal. Violating the medical practice law can result in a fine of more than $9,500 and up to three years in prison.
However, this regulation will soon be changed in the country of cherry blossoms after the decision of the Supreme Court of Japan in September. Accordingly, tattooing is an art form, unrelated to the healthcare industry, so a medical license is not required to practice.