2007 China Tattoo Convention 2
During the Cultural Revolution, Mao banned tattoo art on the grounds that it signaled impurity and ruffianism, and even today members of the Chinese army are forbidden to have tattoos. However, tattoos have figured into the cultures of several of China’s ethnic minorities, most notably the Drung and Dai minorities. During Imperial times, tattoos were also used to mark the faces of convicted rapists and murderers - the marring of the physical body with ink was seen as a reflection of the impurity of the mind of the criminal. The negative associations linked with tattoos are still widespread in China. Tattoo art and body modification art in remain largely a counterculture phenomenon and artists working in the medium still struggle to be recognized as such. Just last week, the Beijing Olympic Committee announced that people with tattoos would not be considered to host the opening and medal ceremonies for the 2008 games. The principal of the Beijing Institute of Protocol told the press, “We don’t want anyone who looks in any way sleazy because that could really put athletes off.”
