Tattoo's Culture: Differences Between The USAd China

There are multiple reasons for individuals to tattoo their bodies and the reasons are usually individualistic and subjective. The experience of being tattooed is intricately bound up with one’s character,

For as long as there have been people, there have been methods of distinction amongst them. Throughout the years we have discovered ways in which to express our beliefs, our ideals, and our passions. Tattooing has been one of forefront methods in expressing our humanity, or in certain cases, our lack there of. For so many, they have taken on many different representations, each with an equal level of significance. The importance found in the symbolism of tattoos and their cultural relevance has consistently been a trend found throughout history, religion, and art.

The tattoo is a very old form of body modification, but in spite of that there is still a certain rejection towards those who carry them in a visible area of the body, for some it disfigures what has been created in the image and likeness of God while for others associates this with convicts or gang members mainly because they were one of the first groups to use tattoos to differentiate themselves from the rest of society. But also it is true that there is a very limited understanding about this corporal modification that could be one of the reasons why it can not be appreciated as for how it should be. However, modern society reflects the current popularity of tattooing because it has acquired an entirely artistic meaning to a social expression and a way of identity.

Tattoos have not only risen in status to become popular and acceptable, in some environments, tattoos have achieved an elevated degree of artistic value. Tattoo art and artifacts have value. Tattoo, a previously ignored and downgraded practice, is undergoing a process of cultural re-inscription. New meanings of tattoo are being generated by exhibitions that reframe tattoos as art Some contemporary cultural anthropologists have interpreted tattooing as a vital part of a larger phenomenon of body modification, including branding, scarring and piercing, inspired by the global breakdown of cultural

In order to fully understand this significance, one must first understand what a tattoo actually is. Dictionary.com states that a tattoo is “the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments” (2016). Knowing this definition allows people to understand that tattooing is considered an art--even by the dictionary’s definition. When people

to be living art, to be living art permanently. Would you jump at chance or

Reasons for getting a tattoo vary greatly. In some cultures tattoos were used as a way to mark bravery or a way to mark slaves. Other cultures used tattoos to signify wealth or status. Modern day reasoning for tattoos has changed greatly. Tattoos and Body Piercing lists several reasons people get tattoos, including enhancing beauty, identifying oneself, commemorating others, rebellious acts, and body makeovers. Individuals may use tattoos as an art form to express their personality or beliefs. Also, tattoos often carry a specific message or association. For instance, a person may get a tattoo as a way of remembering a loved one. Tattoos may even be a sign of risky or defiant behavior. Young teenagers, for example, may get a tattoo

Facial tattoos where common in the past centuries however, they no longer are seen in today’s society. They were used as a sign of power and authority but, today’s society has changed the meaning of facial tattoos. The hegemonic society has labeled facial tattoos as deviant, and those who have a facial tattoo are placed into a subculture. “Tattooing is the most established form of non-mainstream body art in the west, having been practiced by modern Europeans and Americans for centuries” (Pitts 5). Today many more people are receiving tattoos on their bodies to represent something significant to them. Society has ruled it ok to have tattoos placed anywhere on the body except for the face or top of neck region. Many people though, do not

Tattoos are not a new fad that grew over night. Tattooing has been a form of art that people have used to communicate with for ages. Whether it is a family crest, a butterfly, or a zodiac sign, all tattoos have meaning in which someone can tell a story. The history of tattoos goes as far back as the first people who roamed this Earth. Tattoos have been around for so long that no historian or archaeologist can precisely trace back to when and where tattooing began.

China isn’t the only place that this decline is taking place. Native American and African cultures have also forgotten what their elder tattoos represent and few of the younger generations have tattoos adorning their bodies. In 1991, a 5000-year-old frozen body was discovered covered in 57 tattoos consisting of lines, dots

Although tattooing may be thought of as a new phenomenon, is has been used for many centuries by exotic tribes and ancient civilizations as a form of identity and cultural celebrations. Tattooing has a very diverse past including used for identity, status, and decorative purposes. The earliest known form of tattooing is dated back to Ancient Egypt. Slaves were marked for the pyramid that they were assigned to construct. Criminals were also marked and sometimes a family would mark themselves. With the growth of the Egyptian empire, so did the practice of tattooing. Many tribes in Asia Minor and southern Asia including the Chinese adopted the art form around 2,000 B.C. These tribes in Asia and China were known to tattoo themselves according to their religion or traditions. Tattoos were places around the wrists or fingers because it was believed to help ward away illnesses and bad luck. As time passed,

There appears to be no specific date to when tattooing was actually ‘created’. It is thought, however, the art of tattooing was founded by accident. The theory is that a prehistoric man cut himself and accidentally rubbed soot from a fire into it. Once the cut healed, the realization that the mark remained behind was enough for these men and women to experiment with what they had just learned.

In the past, one reasons for having a tattoo is that it is usually connected spirituality. Tattoos are like an amulet to protect people against the unfamiliar. In ancient Egypt, the god Bes protected women in labor. Women of that time would have a tattoo that represented a god or goddess, to protect themselves during the time when they were pregnant. Tattoos are still used today to express religious beliefs.

The trend of tattooing was first observed in the late 1700’s - sailors during that time returned home sporting tattoos from overseas to celebrate their expeditions (Fisher, 2002). However, this act of voluntary tattooing was more prominently recognized in the American Civil War, where soldiers gradually began tattooing their allegiances and military symbols on their bodies (Caplan, 2000).

Evidently through out time, human civilizations have found unique ways of expressing themselves, through cave drawings, wood carving and even through body modifications. Ancient cultures were able to express their emotions through a particular form of body art, known as tattooing. This form of body art symbolizes self-expression of individuality, status, and culture. The purpose of a tattoo and its meaning varies from each culture and the time at which an individual gets a tattoo also varies within each culture. Some tattoos are perceived as a sign of beauty while others can be perceived as a distinction between statuses. The importance and meaning of the tattoo is relevant to the culture itself.