by Aria HsiaWalking down the streets of Taipei today, it is not difficult to spot a young person sporting tattoos across their body, proudly flashing their inked artwork. However, until recent decades, tattoos have long been interpreted as a symbol of rebellion, linking them to delinquents, gangs, and other negative connotations. I hope to trace the development of the tattoo stigma in Taiwan by first understanding the historic and cultural symbolism of tattoos in Taiwan, then uncovering the public’s hostility towards tattoos, and finally exploring their gradual resurgence into mainstream fashion today.
Diving deep into the past, tattoos have been a part of traditional culture since the very beginning of Taiwanese civilization. Their roots can be traced back as early as 1,400 years ago, as tattooing is an important custom in six of Taiwan’s ten major aboriginal tribes: the Atayal, Saisiyat, Paiwan, Rukai, Puyuma and Tsou. The Atayal tribe is most recognized for their facial tattoos; regarded as a rite of passage, boys are rewarded with their tattoos only after completing the gruesome task of headhunting, which has been banned since the Japanese Colonial Era (1895 –1945). As for girls, they had to master the skill of looming before they earned their tattoos. Only those with tattoos could marry, and it was believed that only they could cross the rainbow bridge into the afterlife. As many aboriginal tribes were forced to relocate under Japanese rule, the practice was eventually abandoned. Despite originally being an important custom in Taiwanese aboriginal culture, tattoos gradually lost their meaning and significance as western traditions took their place. Meanwhile, across the shore in China, tattoos were a highly effective means of punishment dating back to the Zhou and Han Dynasty. The shame that the criminals felt at having to reenter society with a mark upon their body derived from the traditional Confucian filial piety that one must avoid damage to the body. While the arrival of Western and Japanese customs greatly affected Taiwan’s aboriginal culture scene, the Han brought along their own prejudices against tattoos. From these instances, it can be observed that despite being of similar cultural origins, the perception of tattoos vary vastly in Asia. Tattoos are nothing new to Taiwan, yet were still regarded with some degree of curiosity, albeit caution, in the late 20th century. Taiwan in the 1980s saw a surge in gang activity, many congregating in the area that is now known as Ximending. Ximending still remains a popular gathering place for young people, thus it is no surprise that the area is now home to Taipei’s very own “Tattoo Street”. It appears to be a universal custom for gang members to adorn themselves with tattoos, either as an oath of loyalty, or to demonstrate their rebellious attitude. This plays a large role in the criminal stigma attached to tattoos, as many Taiwanese parents forbid their children to get tattoos. However, in the recent decade, the hostility towards tattoos has shifted into tolerance, as tattoos evolved from a symbol of rebellion to a new form of art. Regarded as one of the most liberal countries in Asia, Taiwan has come a long way since its early days of tattoo-shaming. Whereas in South Korea where celebrities must cover up their tattoos on television, Taiwan celebrates diverse body art through the annual Taiwan Tattoo Convention, an event that showcases tattoos from all around the world. In an attempt to understand the current opinions on tattoos among Taiwanese college students, I created an online survey. To my surprise, only 3% of the students in my class had tattoos, and they were all international students. I was shocked by the results, until I remembered that most of my classmates were barely nineteen, thus just over the legal age of eighteen to get a tattoo in Taiwan. However, a large majority of the students responded that they would consider getting a tattoo in the future, to commemorate an important memory or event. As my research on Taiwan’s perception on tattoos comes to an end, I have discovered that the consensus that while most Taiwanese people do not harbor any ill feelings against tattoos, they are hesitant to commit to a permanent engraving on their skin. For now, they will stick to temporary tattoo stickers. a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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