Chinese Tattoos

Chinese Tattoos Designs

The Chinese are believed to be among the first people to wear tattoos. This dates back to the ancient Chinese colonies some thousands of years ago. Due to the beauty of their handwriting symbols, which is also known as the kanji, the Chinese symbols have gained popularity in the world of tattoos these days. It is believed that there are over 80,000 Chinese symbols from which you can choose your tattoo shapes. It has however been noted that many people don’t know what some of the Chinese symbols they are wearing mean. This can be the case if you get your tattoo simply because of the beauty it has from the Chinese symbols used. Websites have come up as a result of this, so as to offer translation services to people interested to know what the various symbols mean. You are therefore advised to seek some advice and translation of symbols before they end up on you skin. If you decide to have Chinese tattoos on your skin, start by getting the symbols you like. The next step will be to look for a Chinese friend, or one who understands the symbols to give you their opinions. In case you can’t find such a person, you can search over the net for translation services. You may want also to know the exact meaning of such symbols to avoid embarrassments. If it is a name you want to write, it can be easily translated and then printed on your skin. You should however be aware that the difference in languages may not allow some words to be translated to Chinese. Some words may exist in your language, but not in the Chinese language. The other factor to consider is that the Chinese write vertically from the top to the bottom. This is not the case in many languages where writing is done from left to right. You may want to consider this situation vis-à-vis the part of the body you wish to place your tattoo. The Chinese symbols can be manipulated in various ways to give different meanings. This may however be done by an artist who understands the language better. Be informed that the slightest changes in shape of curve of a signs may completely changes the meaning of such a symbol. Care should then be taken to avoid such mistakes. If you still want to communicate effectively through your tattoo, you can include some picture or shape alongside your Chinese tattoo. You can have the shape of your choice printed and next to it, a Chinese translation of the same. You may also opt for two parts of the tattoo, one in the easily understood language of shape and the other in Chinese symbols. The good thing about Chinese symbols is their diverse meanings. There are as many symbols as there are words which describe different situations or things. You can choose from love symbols, religious symbols and even sporting activities. There are also symbols for animals, events and various personal attributes.

Chinese Symbol Tattoos Designs

With over 100,000 symbols in Chinese from their alphabets, Chinese characters or even signs, you find that most of them are almost never used. The Chinese symbols are considered as being among the oldest written down symbols in the World with their evolvement having undergone three stages; the Oracle and Bronze inscriptions, the bamboo inscriptions, the modern Chinese writings. Oracle and Bronze Inscription These were the earliest Chinese symbols and were carved on tortoise shells and ox shoulder blades by the ancient Chinese of the Shang Dynasty. These oracles were in form of pictographs which were in the form of primitive pictures and the pictographs were seen to posses’ similar characteristics as a script. The Bronze Inscriptions were cast into bronze vessels or on the surfaces of the existent carved vessels. Bamboo Inscriptions This stage followed right after the Oracle and Bronze stage and in this case the writing was done on bamboo slips and was believed to have also begun from the Shang Dynasty. These writings were carried out with the aid of a writing brush and ink. Many of the Chinese books were on bamboo slips and these books have held importance in the culture and history of the Chinese. These Chinese books in the form of bamboo slips were the first form of books. Modern Chinese Writings The commonly used systems in use in the Chinese writings are the traditional Chinese symbols and the simplified Chinese symbols. The traditional Chinese symbols are only practiced in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and the Chinese speaking communities with the exclusion of Malaysia and Singapore. On the other hand, the simplified symbols are in use as presently due to the efforts of the Chinese government in 1950s. These simplified Chinese symbols are achieved at by decreasing the strokes while simplifying the forms of traditional symbols in a sizable proportion. The Chinese symbols in the world of tattoos fulfill the aspect of beauty and that of simplicity and are most preferred in the expression of personal message in a manner that is mysterious yet in a subtle and fashionable manner. Chinese symbols can basically be applied as tattoos depending on one’s choice of symbol they would like. But first it is best to know and understand the meaning of the symbol you intend to tattoo. Most people have gone ahead to translate words from English into Chinese and later tattoo them on their bodies. The most searched symbols being those of love, peace, strength and happiness being on the top of the list of searches. Most people are drawn to Chinese symbols due to their complex beauty not forgetting their individual personal meanings. But there are instances where by mistakes are made with the end result being alteration of the intended meaning. Genuine Chinese tattoo artists have made it a point to inform people and assist them in the exploration of the beauty and the complexity of these Chinese symbols and giving them the comfort of confidence in the hands of one who has vast knowledge on them.