Tattooing in China

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Tattoos (Chinese: 刺青; pinyin: cì qīng) have a long history in China. The Chinese word for tattooing (纹身) means "applying ink to the body". Tattoos are represented in early Chinese texts, including histories, dynastic penal codes, zhiguai xiaoshuo and biji works, and early prose works such as the Shangshu.^[1]

Three major categories can be used to categorize Chinese tattoo designs: the Chinese brush painting style, the Chinese realistic painting style, and the "watercolor splash ink" (水彩泼墨) style. All three categories strongly feature the Chinese national colors.