Proceed with Caution When Getting a Chinese Tattoo
The oriental culture is steeped in history which lends a certain mystique in how many people, especially the Western civilization, views it. That is likely why when someone is looking to permanently ink their body, they choose a Chinese tattoo. For the most part these tattoos are represented by either special symbols or even signs of the Chinese Zodiac.
Be Careful with your Body Ink
Many people see the characters in the Chinese language as a thing of complex beauty, admiring the fine lines and detailing. However, therein lays the danger when you seek out a tattoo artist to ink your Chinese tattoo. Unless you luck out and get a tattoo artist who understands the complexities of the Chinese language and the fact that one symbol or character could mean several different things, you may not end up with what you thought you were getting.
There are many horror stories of people getting their bodies permanently inked with what they thought was touching symbolism but really ended up improper symbols or something with a totally different (and sometimes embarrassing) meaning. A Chinese tattoo must be thoroughly researched so that you know the Chinese characters you are selecting are drawn properly and mean what they are supposed to.
Of course, you can avoid the possibility of having your skin inadvertently defaced by choosing a picture for your Chinese tattoo that is representative of the culture. For example, dragons figure prominently in the Chinese culture and are often a symbol of good luck and prosperity. They are also representative of the four elements - fire, wind, rain and earth - and even strength and power. Lotus flowers, bonsai trees, sunrises, warriors and even geishas can be inked onto your body as a Chinese tattoo.
Choosing your Look
As mentioned above, choosing any symbols for your tattoo can be a tricky situation so be sure that you research the symbols and meanings you want first. Your library and even the internet should have accurate representations which you can copy or print to take to your tattoo artist. Do not automatically assume that the Chinese tattoo examples in the tattoo establishment are correct!
Next, you should choose your ink colors for your Chinese tattoo although it should be fairly easy if you choose a symbol as it is almost always black ink. However, if you get a dragon or even a geisha, chances are that you will want some vibrant color that will make it pop out and be noticeable. As long as you practice your due diligence in advance, you will get a tattoo that will be admired for its true meaning.
