Humans of China: "Being Ugly Meant No One Would Steal Us"

This article comes from Humans of China (WeChat ID: humans-of-china), which aims to document and tell the stories of the many varied people of this vast country, one individual at a time. The following account comes from a lady of the Li minority in China's Hainan province. Read the original post (with Chinese) here.

I started to tattoo my face at around the age of 15. We were afraid that people would steal the girls that didn’t have tattoos. We were afraid they’d take us away and sell us in other cities in China. With tattoos, it meant that we were ugly and being ugly meant no one would want us so no one would steal us. We needed tattoos to keep us safe. Pretty much all the girls that were older than me or the same age as me also had tattoos. The older generation at the time had more though. They had them all over their bodies including arms, legs, chest, hands, and fingers. My friends helped me and I helped my friends. We used spikes we found on trees and the black was from the bottom of a cooking pot. I don’t think these tattoos look beautiful and they were really painful to make. I remember there was a lot of blood and after my face was very swollen.

I married when I was 25 years old and he was the same age as me. My husband also didn’t think my facial tattoos were beautiful but pretty much any girl he could have married would have had tattoos and maybe more than I have. He didn’t have tattoos. Not many men did, mostly only ladies and them. We were both farmers and we grew rice. It was hard and hot, as in the summer the temperatures were very high. That’s why I have some problems with my back now. We were never really poor and we always ate well and as well as growing rice we raised chickens, pigs, and ducks. My husband was a very good man. He never hit me and he always treated our kids well. He passed away a long time ago. He was just 48 when he died. We had four boys and three girls.

I wanted my daughters to also have these kinds of tattoos but by then China was much more developed and there was no need. They also didn’t want them as they think they are ugly. There are only two ladies left here with tattoos now but before there were a lot, they have since died. This year I am 88 years old and still pretty healthy. I live with my youngest son and my daughters often visit. I like the traditional way of life and when I could cook I would only use fire and never electricity. Spring Festival is the most important festival for us Li minority and that time of year many people come back to visit the village I’ve never left.

READ: Seven Instagram Accounts That Show Beijing in a Different Light

Photos: Cameron Hack