Chinese once associated tattoos with criminals and misfits; today, they are redrawing the lines around how they think about ink.

The growth of China's emerging tattoo culture was evident by the more than 2,000 visitors who attended Saturday's opening of the country's largest tattoo gathering, Tattoo Show Convention 2007, which ends today.

Attracting more than 100 artists from all over China and the world, the show at the Sanshang Art Beijing Gallery was intended as a platform for interaction among Chinese from around the country, their international counterparts and the public.

"We hope to give them a platform so they can learn from each other," said Xiao Long, who founded the non-profit convention in 2001.

Tattooed Chinese photographed each other's ink, while artists displayed their works and even tattooed visitors at their booths.

German artist Frank Kassebaum, of Bremen, said he was surprised by what he saw.

"Before I came here, I thought that China wasn't so far along in its tattoo culture, but from what I see here, I really think that, in 10 years, they'll be better than the United States, Japan and Europe," he said. "The boom in Japan was 10 years ago; now, the boom is here."

Co-organizer Chris Wroblewski, of New York City, said one of the major purposes of the show was to educate Chinese to be prudent about getting tattoos.

He said that during China's "Tattoo Renaissance", many shops were opening up, offering "mass production stuff" drawn by "artists who learned in two weeks and are just plowing needles into skin".

He explained that as tattooing developed in China, there would be a proliferation of both "high art and low art".

YZTattoo parlor model Qi Xuan, 26, said she believes the convention showcases the progress made by China's "high-art" tattoo artists.

"In recent years, Chinese tattoo artists have become more skillful in design, technique and use of color," the Beijinger said.

"Now, you can see more tattoo artists who can make very international designs. Because artists come to this show from every part of the country, we know what they are doing outside of Beijing."

Wroblewski said that because Chinese tattooing was "still in its infancy", it often emulates the West.

"But the Chinese are beginning to pick up on their roots and will start demanding more of their own culture."

Student Wang Hao, of Beijing, said he came to the show because he was considering getting a tattoo and wanted to learn more about them.

"I'd like to get a traditional Chinese tattoo, because I love China," the 22-year-old said.

(China Daily 06/18/2007 page1)