The Sex Pistols did it. So did Madonna. Now Shanghai's urban youth are piercing their bodies all over -- but unlike other forms of body art, this one has the distinct whiff of counterculture rebellion.

Cony He attracts a good number of double takes. And no wonder: There are very few places on the 22-year-old lounge singer's face that are not pierced.

The current count is 14: two holes in his left eyebrow, two across the bridge of his nose, one on his left nostril, two on his left ear and four on his right ear, a labret and a tongue piercing. And that's just his face. His navel is also pierced -- and decorated with a tattoo.

Body piercing, like tattooing and other body arts, is on the rise in Shanghai. While there are no figures on the numbers of people who have undergone body piercing in the city, there is little doubt that this is a happening subculture eagerly followed by hip urban youth.

And, say some piercing salon owners, this is not a bad business. At least one customer a day seeks the service, reveals professional tattoo and piercing operator Yang Haibing:

"They're all about in their 20s -- more women than men." But not everyone is a fan. The subject makes Monica Ye, a 26-year-old office lady, wrinkle her face in disgust -- even though she has pierced ears.

"I'm totally against piercing except for earring holes, which complement your face. But having other body parts pierced is going too far. That makes people look like slaves or beasts, dangerous and repulsive." Ye's opposition on body piercing is fairly commonplace -- "Why do they do that to themselves" may be the most common question people ask.

"I'm used to people's disapproval," confesses He, who prefers being called Cony. "And I've also noticed that people talk and whisper about me behind my back -- mothers in my neighborhood telling their kids that I'm a bad person, evil." I pierce myself because I enjoy it. I first did it because I thought it would look cool.

Now, I have read studies by psychologists who say that body piercing is an aberration, done as a way to self-actualize because an individual has a low sense of self-worth. In my case, it's simply not true. I'm doing fine. I've done jingles for TV advertisements and Channel V and I hang out with their VJs. I've got great friends," he adds. "Piercing stands for what I do: underground music, rap, R&B, reggae, you name it. It is also kind of a statement I make to make me feel unique, more complete."

Zhu Junjie, who has five facial piercings, shares He's sentiment. Zhu, who is also in his 20s, has opened a piercing salon and is learning tattoo techniques now. He, too, is constantly annoyed by the reactions he gets from people, but he reacts a little more than He.

"If someone stares at me, I stare right back. Quite frankly, I'm insulted when people ask if I've ever had second thoughts about how much pain the piercing would cause," Zhu says, anger obvious in his tone. "I tell you, every time I get pierced, I am doing it for myself -- not to myself." Stroking his pierced lower lip, he continues, "I've always been a rebellious person, always trying to break the rules. Piercing is a kind of ritual I have undergone to show my objection to cultural oppression."

Zhang Youde, a professor at the Sociology Department of Shanghai University, says: "Body modifications are done for reasons as simple as thinking it's trendy, or as complex as being a part of a ritual or religious experience. Like hunger strikes, some people try to air their complaints against the social system through these modifications, and some just try to create their own subculture against the mainstream culture. People who get themselves pierced usually share a disruptive childhood."

The professor is right on target with this point, at least when it comes to He and Zhu. He was an orphan, adopted at 5 by a loving foster family. Yet those disruptive early years left him a sensitive soul, one who often sought solace in music as a teenager. His first piercing, on the nose, happened when he was 13. There was no real deliberation, he says, just a vague musical inspiration.

"I was into Aaron Neville at that time. I admired his look, and he had a pierced nose," he explains.

Zhu, on the other hand, says that he first got pierced to the emotional pain of his parents' divorce, when he was a teenager. He felt like being left in the lurch. The act of pushing a needle through his skin was an epiphany. "I realized that I have some control over my actions and feelings," he says, "because it was an act of overcoming, overcoming my fear of pain, fear of a lack of acceptance and a fear of what my loved ones might think. I, for one, am happier knowing that I may feel the pain, but that I can get past it. Every fear we overcome, no matter how insignificant, helps prepare us for the next big thing that comes along. And come along it will."

Zhu reveals that when he's in a bad mood, he will get several piercings, "to get it out of his system." Yet he also pierces to celebrate, he says. He, however, is more deliberate: He wants precisely two more holes on his body: on the throat and the nipple.

And he wants more and more people to join him. "There is a lot of conservatism going around. Surprisingly -- and fortunately -- this conservatism hasn't stopped tattoo and body piercing artists," he says. "This simply goes to show that they are serious about what they do." So is he: More than 70 people he knows have gotten pierced because of his influence.

Body art tattoo

Once the province of gangsters, sailors and criminals, the tattoo has become a fashion accessory. Xu Wei reports on the trends and controversy surrounding Shanghai's latest fad.

A lithe panther leaps with every twitch of a muscle. An eagle in flight, spread across a chest. A serpentine dragon, writhing down a forearm. Welcome to the world of tattoo.

Tattoo studios, once the province of Popeye and the seamy underworld, have gone main stream. But is this body art just another fashion fad? Yilong Tattoo, on Xiangyang Road S., receives 50-plus clients a month, with those in the 18 to 25 years old making up the majority of its clientele. Owner Yang Haibin, 30, says that it's been a promising, profitable business since it opened eight years ago. With summer on the horizon, he's expecting a flood of new business, as well. "With more of the skin uncovered with summer's skin-baring clothes, I expect more customers this season," says Yang. "An exquisite, eye-catching tattoo design is a mark that distinguishes them."

Although the process is somewhat painful and even bloody, tattoo lovers don't complain: no pain, no gain in the pursuit of fashion and beauty. Tattoos can be used for cosmetic reasons, to cover up the scars from surgery or even a birthmark. Yang says that he has many clients who want to mask the scars from Caesarean surgery and appendicitis operations. "These clients usually have lower requirements for the designs," Yang adds. "But when it comes to the young, hip and trendy, they need more unique designs to reflect their personality." Rainbow Zhu, 22, considers tattooing a miraculous thing.

"My affinity with tattoo is hard to express in words," Zhu smiles. "This decorative art form not only helps me distinguish myself from others, but also records my feelings and moods at a certain period in my life. It's so amazing." Some tattoo their beloved's name, wreathed in hearts and roses, symbolizing undying love. "We have put our wish that this relationship will endure for good into this identical tattoo -- two lovely carps," says Echo Huang, a 20-plus human resources staff. "It's a propitious symbol to mark our love. These days, the tattoo is a method to beautify our body, just like hair dying and dressing. But since it has its origins in ancient tribal totem adoration, to me, the tattoo is an article of faith that offers me courage and power when I'm low." Yang agrees, calling it an art worthy of a lifelong passion.

"What attracts me is the strong artistry of tattooing. Painting on the skin with needles is definitely different from drawing on paper," Yang says. "As each design represents what inspired me at that specific time, it is unique and can never be recreated. I also believe that my next piece is always the best." But the tattoo doesn't have such positive connotations for everyone. For Huang Yonghui, a 20-something IT employee, they are emblematic of a seedy underworld.

"I never conceal my disgust for tattoo," Huang frowns.

"You know, it looks terrible and dirty, and in my opinion, only gang leaders need something like this to frighten others. It seems to me that this is completely unnecessary painful self-torture!" Huang is backed up by traditional Chinese beliefs: Tattoo, in Chinese, is called "wen shen" or "ci qing," literally meaning "puncturing the body."

Chinese tradition dictates that one's body is a precious gift from one's parents and should never be abused or defaced. Thus, although it has been known and practiced in China for many years, the tattoo has never been considered artistic, desirable or even acceptable. Quite the contrary. During the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-220 AD) dynasties, a person found guilty of a severe crime would be tattooed on his face, permanently marking him as a criminal. "Since I know what tattoos have meant historically, it's hard for me to accept and understand it if my son wants one," Xu Ziyan, a 50-plus retired teacher notes. "I don't think it's decent."

It is a permanent mark on the body, and since young people are so capricious, they may not want the tattoo that they thought they loved at 18. Tattoo removal, as far as I know, is quite expensive and doesn't totally eliminate the scarring or color variations.'' There are also health concerns associated with tattooing, particularly in the transmission of viruses via the blood, such as tuberculosis, HIV and hepatitis B and C. "This may occur if needles or tubes are reused without sterilizing," says Shi Weimin, a dermatologist with the Shanghai Tongji Hospital.

"Other risks include skin damage for those who are allergic to tattoo pigments. People who are susceptible to infection would be advised to be cautious before getting a tattoo." What Is A Tattoo? The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian "tatu," which means, "to mark." The first recorded history of tattooing was found in Egypt during the time of the building of the pyramids. Mummies as old as seven thousand years have been found with tattoos.

A tattoo in the most common sense is a picture, figure or text drawn in ink (or other pigment) under the topmost layer of skin on an animal or human. In modern times, the ink is introduced under the skin by a group of needles soldered to a needle bar then attached to an electric tattoo machine. Tattoo Tips: * Choose a professional tattoo studio as the choice affects both the quality of your tattoo, and more importantly, your health. * Check the autoclave and sterilization. Make sure that the equipment is clean. * After the tattooing is complete, wait two hours before removing the bandage. * Wash the tattoo with your hands (make sure your hands are clean), using warm water. Don't over-soak your tattoo. * For seven to 10 days, or until the tattoo is healed, apply Vitamins A and D ointment, or bacitracin or zinc oxide ointment (available at tattoo studios) three to four times daily after washing the tattoo. Keep the tattoo moist. If you are allergic to these ointments, use a moisture lotion. * The tattoo will flake while it is healing. Don't pick at the flakes, or you may pull the color out. Try not to let clothing rub on your tattoo while it is healing. * Don't swim or suntan until healed. Apply a high SPF sunblock to the tattoo after healing to prevent fading.

(Shanghai Daily May 18, 2004)