Q: When was your first time to know about the tattoo?

My little uncle has a lot of tattoos when I was little, over his whole arms, hands and neck. And when I was a teenager, I made a friend in a gym. He often showed off his tattoos. I thought they were pretty cool and awesome.

 

Q: How did you like it when you heard about it?

Actually, the first time I saw my little uncle’s tattoos, I thought it was awesome but hurt. I didn’t know if I could handle this hurt, so I was not sure if I wanted to make a tattoo for myself.

 

Q: What is your first tattoo and where did you get it?

I got my first tattoo in Melbourne. It was in last year, on my 24th birthday.

 

Q: Does this tattoo have a special meaning for you?

Yes. my tattoo is a swallow. The pronunciation of swallow in Mandarin is same as my mother’s first name.

In our traditional culture, we always say that the son’s birthday is the mother’s suffer day because the mother gets a lot of hurts, tears and blood. She loses a lot for her son on that day.

So, I wanted to make a tattoo for my mother. I wanted to remind myself how important my mother meant to me and how many things my mother had done for me.

 

Q: What was your first reaction when the tattoo is done?

Actually, it took me 4 and half hours to make this tattoo. It was a long time. It was really hurt because this part of the skin is sensitive. When the tattoo artist told me this tattoo was finished, my first reaction was ‘it is awesome!’ I think it’s worth spending such long time.

 

 

Q: How do your family like your tattoo?

I didn’t tell my mother because I wanted to make a surprise for her. I came back home on holiday. It’s very funny. I was watching TV with my mother, and she was watching a movie about many people with tattoos in Europe. My mother asked me, ‘why they made tattoos on their bodies? Is it hurt? Or just for fun?’ I just said in a low voice, ‘maybe they just want, and I made one too.’ My mother wasn’t angry or something. She just said, ‘did it hurt?’ I said, ‘no.’ But in fact, it’s very hurt! Then she asked if I could show her my tattoo. She knew the meaning of it immediately when the first time she saw it. She didn’t say anything except ‘I’m glad to know it didn’t hurt. I won’t judge you. It’s your right to make a tattoo.’ I think my mother is kind of a cool mother.

 

 

Q: After knowing the special meaning of your tattoo, did your mom feel touched or cry or something?

No. my mother is kind of a cool girl when she was a teenager. She was one of the first group of people who like the rock music, motorcycle and the Afro (in China).

But she said, ‘I think you need to think carefully about your next tattoo. Maybe this tattoo can make some negative effects on your job and your future career. It could make lots of people judge you that you are a buster or gang member.’

 

Q: Have you received any pressure from your family, your school or your workplace?

At school, I had no pressure.

But my father and the family members from my father’s part have traditionally thought about the tattoo. They think the tattoo is a negative thing. So, when I go to visit them, my mother will suggest me that maybe I should wear a jacket, not a T-shirt.

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Q: Have you ever been asked to cover your tattoos?

Of course. When I wanted to find a part-time job during my holiday, my mother suggested me that I should wear a jacket. Because in China, people’s first thought about the tattoo is negative. So, I had to hide it.

When I go to the gym, some Asian people in China will look me weird. Maybe they were thinking, ‘oh, last year you were clean, why this year you have a tattoo?’

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Q: Have you ever regretted to get the tattoo?

Never. I think the tattoo is just a simple way to show myself. People should not judge others by their outside. A lot of successful people have tattoos, like sports players. Some people think the tattoo is bad, maybe their boss, their captain, their leader also have tattoos.

 

Q: Could you use one sentence to describe what tattoo mean to you?

Like I said before, the tattoo is just a simple way to show myself.