https://www.scmp.com/rss/500104/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Phoenix and dragon tattoos — you may think they’re just for gangsters in Hong Kong triads, based on classic movies like “Young and Dangerous” and “God of Gamblers.” But these tattoos are gaining popularity among young people too. We speak to Marcus Yuen, a renowned tattoo artist who’s helping to revive this unique style that blends eastern and western features. https://www.scmp.com/culture/getting-inked-retro-hong-kong-style/article/3204757?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/getting-inked-retro-hong-kong-style/article/3204757?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Dec 2022 03:39:45 +0000 Stuck in Hong Kong with nowhere to go during the Covid-19 pandemic, sushi chef Joey Lau, 32, chose to get some body art done. “I had a lot of money saved up and couldn’t travel or do much with it, so I decided to get my first tattoo,” said the Australian-born Hongkonger who has been working at Zuma restaurant in Central since 2019. That “sushi-dragon” design on his forearm got him started on his tattoo collection, leading to 14 more on both arms and his chest. The latest addition is a snow... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3178619/more-hongkongers-choosing-body-art-ink-out-pandemic-boredom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3178619/more-hongkongers-choosing-body-art-ink-out-pandemic-boredom?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 May 2022 06:00:21 +0000 China’s largest city will restrict medical beauty procedures and ban tattooing for minors starting Tuesday as both are gaining increased popularity among young Chinese people. The Shanghai government said people under 18 years old will be prohibited from cosmetic surgery without approval from their guardians. Tattoo parlours are completely banned from offering their services to minors. The updates were part of amended municipal regulations aimed at protecting minors that took effect on March... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/social-welfare/article/3168809/shanghai-restricts-chinese-minors-cosmetic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/social-welfare/article/3168809/shanghai-restricts-chinese-minors-cosmetic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:00:04 +0000 Doy, one of South Korea’s most famous tattoo artists having signed the likes of Brad Pitt, just wants to practice his craft without fear of going to jail or hefty fines. South Korea is the sole developed country in the world where tattooing is considered a procedure that only medical professionals are capable of legally performing. That leaves almost all of the country’s 50,000 tattoo artists at the mercy of potential police raids and prosecution, facing fines of up to 50 million won (US$42,000)... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3167777/south-korean-tattoo-artists-draw-hope-presidential-candidate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3167777/south-korean-tattoo-artists-draw-hope-presidential-candidate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:00:12 +0000 China’s General Administration of Sports issued a new directive late last month that placed an outright ban on tattoos on the nation’s football players. According to the directive, athletes in the national team and the under-23 national team are strictly prohibited from having new tattoos, and those who already have them are advised to get them removed. Until then, national-level footballers must cover up their tattoos during training and matches. Despite the recent rising popularity in China of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3163983/why-han-chinese-associate-tattoos-criminality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3163983/why-han-chinese-associate-tattoos-criminality?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:45:10 +0000 Neither a permanent mark nor a paper transfer: a New York start-up has created the first tattoos that fully disappear after a while, aiming to open the body inking market to new clientele. “It’s going to fade so I’m not too concerned,” says Abigail Glasgow with a mischievous look in her eye, as the first letter of her fiancé’s name is tattooed on her forearm. For years, amateur tattoo artists around the world – mainly in Asia – have offered “semi-permanent” tattoos, claiming that using vegetable... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3131402/should-i-get-tattoo-new-vanishing-tattoos-disappear-around?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3131402/should-i-get-tattoo-new-vanishing-tattoos-disappear-around?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Apr 2021 12:15:07 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. Tattoos may be increasingly embraced by young people in China, particularly in cities like Shanghai, which has a burgeoning tattoo scene, yet age-old prejudices against those with inked skin prevail in many parts of Chinese society. Chinese state media have blurred David Beckham’s tattoos when he appeared shirtless on TV.  In Lanzhou, capital of the... https://www.scmp.com/arts/inkstone-explains-why-tattoos-are-still-frowned-upon-east-asia/article/3104222?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/inkstone-explains-why-tattoos-are-still-frowned-upon-east-asia/article/3104222?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2020 05:56:16 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Explains unravels the ideas and context behind the headlines to help you understand news about China. When the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV played a travel documentary starring David Beckham in May, viewers were treated to an eye-opening experience – sort of. As a shirtless Beckham recalled how he put his career ahead of his family, what viewers saw was the English soccer star’s head floating on a blurry blob of what would have been his exposed torso, abs... https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-explains-why-chinese-television-blurred-david-beckhams-tattoos/article/3093250?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-explains-why-chinese-television-blurred-david-beckhams-tattoos/article/3093250?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2020 03:12:31 +0000 As anti-government protests continue to rock Hong Kong, some have taken to a more subtle medium to express their views: tattoos. In recent weeks, photos of tattoos have emerged that center on imagery from the current protests. Umbrellas, goggles and gas masks—all used by protesters for protection—are a common theme, as are upbeat messages in both English and Chinese, such as Bruce Lee’s famed mantra “be water” and the words “Hong Kong.” One of the more clever designs is a set of Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/culture/hong-kong-protest-tattoos/article/3023955?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/hong-kong-protest-tattoos/article/3023955?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Aug 2019 10:44:05 +0000 “I want people to know that traditional Chinese landscapes, still-life paintings, and portraits can also be tattoos,” says Beijing-based tattoo artist Chen Jie. Although still largely taboo, tattoos have become increasingly popular in China. And while styles from abroad such as old school and new school—characterized by hard lines and bold colors—were once the trend, a distinctly Chinese aesthetic, inspired by traditional watercolor paintings, is gaining ground. Chen is one of many tattoo... https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-watercolor-tattoo-artist/article/3021090?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-watercolor-tattoo-artist/article/3021090?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2019 13:03:28 +0000 Jiuwu is a professional tattoo artist in Beijing, China. He’s been an artist and master tattoo artist for decades and is known for blending his modern techniques with traditional Chinese folklore and Yakuza-style tattoos. In this video, he talked to us about the first tattoo in China, how society’s acceptance of tattoos is in constant flux, and the type of clients who come to him for body artwork. Voiceover by: Dolly Li Written by: Dolly Li and George Zhi Zhao Featuring: Jiuwu Produced by:... https://www.scmp.com/culture/inking-chinese-and-yakuza-style-tattoos-conservative-china/article/2162648?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/inking-chinese-and-yakuza-style-tattoos-conservative-china/article/2162648?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Sep 2018 05:32:08 +0000