Tattoo in Chinese Minorities

Tattoo in Chinese Minorities	Tattoo in Chinese Minorities

The Chinese Drung and Dai minorities have tattoo customs inherited from their ancestors. Among the Drung ethnic minority, women have tattoos on their faces. In the past, girls were tattooed when they turned 12 or 13 as a symbol of maturity. 
Both men and women were tattooed according to the Dai custom, men on the strong muscles and women on the back of hand, arm or between the eyebrows.
In old times, the Dai Children had designs pricked into their skin when they were 5 or 6, for it was said to be the best age. Later, they were tattooed at 14 or 15 as a symbol of reaching maturity. 
As time went on, tattooing lost its original function and has become a symbol of the boldness and bravery of men and the beauty of women. Now, tattoos are drawn on the back of the hands in octagonal flower design, and a dot is tattooed between the eyebrows of girls, symbolizing their beauty. With these tattoos, the Dai people can easily recognize their ethnic friends even when they are not wearing their minority costums.