In the last 10 years, tattoo’s became immensely popular among the young Chinese and during my 5 years in China, it felt that almost everybody between 20-30 years had one. But unfortunately, there is not much information about Chinese tattoo artist.
I always loved the tattoo styles from Japan and was interested if there is a special kind of Chinese Tattoo style people would know in terms of “Chinese Tattoo Art”. This article is a quick overview of tattoo history in China and of a couple of modern Chinese tattoo artist and their individual styles which I consider outstanding. If anybody has more Chinese Tattoo artist or special design styles to recommend please feel free to drop me a mail.
Short Chinese history of tattoos
The art of tattooing has been known in China for thousands of years but as in many other it was seen as a defamation of the body, something undesirable. In feudal China, if you committed a serious enough crime, your face would be tattooed and you would be sent into exile — even if you made it back, people would still recognize you as a criminal.
One of the most famous tattoos in Chinese history comes from the legend of the Chinese general Yueh Fei who served the South Song Dynasty. During a battle with northern enemies the Field Marshall under whom Yueh Fei served betrayed the South Song and went over to the enemy. In protest, Yueh Fei resigned and returned home. His mother grew angry with him, telling him that his duty was first and foremost to his country, despite all else. To remind him of this fact she tattooed four characters on his back with her sewing needle. These characters, jin bao , could be translated like “Serve his country with ultimate loyalty.”
Furthermore there are many ethnic groups within China where tattoos have a very strong connection to their culture and religion. For example the Dulong and Dai tribes, along with the Li people of Hainan Island.
Nowadays 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.
A few Chinese tattoo artist to watch
Chen Jie (New Tattoo)
Chinese tattoo artist Chen Jie is from Beijing who creates intricate watercolor tattoos that look like real paintings. Have a look at some of the awesome artworks!
Heng Yue
Yue Heng the tattooist, owner of the Xincike Studio, was born in Yueyang, Hunan in 1977. Througout his childhood, Yue spent his enthusiasm to kinds of art, painting, calligraphy and Zhuan Seal Script (a typical official character in very early Chinese history, AD 1st Century), implying his association with tattoo art in his fate.
Yue thinks of tattoos as body art and treats every job, every customer with his heart and soul. The mantra of Yue says “With my artwork, any inch of your tattooed skin would find the value of beauty, and every single time, I throw all myself in!”
Aki Wong (New Tattoo)
17 (New Tattoo)
Cui Wenlong
Zhuo Dan Ting (Shanghai Tattoo)
Tattoo Artist Zhou Dan Ting was born and raised in a small town in Heilongjiang in the far of Harbin, China. Started tattooing in 2001, she opened her first tattoo shop Wenyifuxing in 2003 (Harbin, China) and due to her phenomenal work she was named “China’s First Lady of Tattoo” by CNN.
In 2007 Ting moved to Shanghai, China and opened Shanghai Tattoo which remains one of Shanghai’s top tattoo shops to this day.
Tala (Shanghai Tattoo)
Shang Qing (Website)
Artist Shang Qing founded his Tattoo Studio in 2006 and has set up extremely artistic tattooing philosophies with many years’ tattooing experience. Shang Qing Tattooing does not follow old tattooing concepts and is not confined to the mass. It regards traditional culture as its foundation and fashionable trends as its learns from of famous artists and gathers its own strengths to write a resplendent chapter with eternal charms in the tattooing world
What Shangqing Tattooing values are the dominating ideas established by tattooists’ communications with clients in the process of designing and cultural connotations and different styles brought by philosophies to tattoo works. Excellent tattooing philosophies are quite important because they not only are the essence of tattooing but also make tattoo works personalized, professional, spiritual and unique. Shang Tattooing philosophies are people-oriented and tattooing plans are made according to clients’ ideas, hobby, belief, occupation, and personal preference
Shangqing Tattooing tattoo works are diversified in styles. European and American styles are true-to-life and vivid; new traditional style is dignified and stately; totem style combines strength with grace and the whole is bold and unrestrained but with fineness. The creation philosophy of rigor and beauty, rich creation emotions, perfectionism attitude of tattooists and skilful and prudent techniques make Shangqing Tattooing constantly mature, ideas sublimed and become standard for tattoo aesthetics in the new era with people’s approval.
Wu Shang (無上)
The Supreme tattoo artist works in a Chinese Ink style, transposing ink and water from paper to skin.
Joey Pang
Joey Pang (born 1979 in Yunnan, China) is a female Chinese tattoo artist based in Hong Kong. People credit her as having pioneered a specific brush-stroke technique that more closely mirrors the painting lines found within Chinese art.
Trained in cosmetics, graphic design, Chinese painting, Chinese calligraphy, Thangka Japanese art before moving into tattooing, Joey studied body art about four years in Thailand, New Zealand, Switzerland and China. After that she founded her private studio, Tattoo Temple, in 2006.
In 2014 Joey Pang was featured in an international advertising campaign for Heineken / Tiger Beer. She is also known to have tattooed multiple celebrities including Lewis Hamilton as well as Hong Kong’s Candy Lo.
! Unfortunatley the influencial artist vanished leaving back some disgruntled clients behind…