In one of the previous articles, we already talked about the meaning of carp tattoos, but today I would like to supplement this information, since this is one of the most popular tattoos in Japan. In addition to Koi, I will also tell you the legends about three other characters, flavored with pictures and photographs.
The meaning of the Koi carp tattoo (Koi)
Koi (or simply carp) is one of the most revered fish in the Land of the Rising Sun. The carp is considered the king of all river fish and is often portrayed as cheerful and courageous. For example, the samurai during the Muromachi period revered Koi's courage and willingness to defend himself and what was his.
It is worth mentioning the Huang Ho (Yellow River), which flows near the Chinese continent. If the carp wants to get there, then he will have to swim for a long time, overcoming river rapids and mountain currents. If you believe the legends, then the carp, having successfully overcome a difficult path, gets the opportunity to become a dragon. Thus, the fish quickly became a symbol of courage and success for the local population. Here are some examples of tattoos associated with him:
Higoi (red carp) - depicted with air bubbles rising from his head.
Magoi (black carp) - an image of a carp with black scales that jumps out of the water.
Nishikigoi (multi-colored carp) - if you believe the legends, then such carps appeared by the end of the 19th century, thanks to the crossing of different types of fish. The tattoo shows the changeable nature of the wearer.
The Lowlands of Longmen (Dragon Gate) is an image of a carp that has successfully passed its path and is now turning into a dragon. The body of the fish becomes golden and acquires a corresponding glow, a horn grows from the head.
Uzushio (whirlpool) - whirlpools, as one of the main dangers for fish on its difficult path. Such a tattoo is rare due to the complexity of execution.
The meaning of the centipede tattoo Mukade (Mukade)
Mukade (Many-legged) is not an ordinary centipede, but a mystical creature that is considered a ghost. He has a very unusual appearance, in addition, the creature is poisonous.
The creature is only twenty centimeters long, but if you look closely, you can see a mouth with many poisonous teeth that look like rusty fangs. Thanks to this, Mukade is able to hunt small game. The animal sinks its teeth into everything that touches its body, such is its black essence.
According to legends, it was precisely such creatures that were in service with the ancient shoguns, who were distinguished by cunning and readiness to fight by any available means. Flags were specially made for the detachment, on which one could see the image of a frightening centipede.
The creatures also acted as messengers for Bishamonten (many know him as Vaisravana - the Japanese god of war). Thanks to this, all letters reached safe and sound, because no one dared to fight with a poisonous creature, even if they noticed him.
There is one more giving, according to which, Mukade has a unique ability to point to gold deposits. This was used by those who went to the mountains in search of new deposits.
As for the meaning of the tattoo, it comes down to protecting the owner from external influences, as well as the ability to find benefits in almost any situation.
The meaning of the tattoo divine being Jinki (Jinki)
Jinki is an eared turtle. This creature is found in various religions around the world and is often the messenger of God on Earth. In Japan, Jinki, along with beings such as Rin, Hou and Ryu, is divine and has been revered for many centuries.
The eared turtle has dozens of different magical abilities, but the main one is the ability to predict future events. The Japanese consider the turtle a symbol of protection, and a tattoo with its image becomes a talisman for its owner.
The meaning of the tattoo Rabbit Usagi (Usagi)
Usagi is a mixture of rabbit and tiger. Due to this, a stunning contrast is obtained, while demonstrating the greatness of nature and the diversity of its creatures.
The creature is characterized by aggressiveness and increased productivity, due to which more and more new offspring are constantly born. The Usagi tattoo is often used to show the promiscuity of the female representatives.
A tattoo with the image of a centipede means intimidation, possible danger, strong will, protest against social norms, disregard for other people's opinions, indifference to others, selfishness, a warning to stay away from the owner of the tattoo, wealth, luck, death.
The meaning of the centipede tattoo
Skolopendra (in common people it is also called a centipede) is an elongated long insect with dozens of legs. In our area, centipedes are mostly harmless and non-venomous. But the insects that inhabit the hot climate of the tropical jungle sometimes grow up to thirty centimeters in size, and their bite is very dangerous.
In ancient times, the centipede could often be seen on military banners, and it symbolized the messenger of the god of war. The gold seekers were completely sure that the centipede could determine the deposits of gold springs.
The image on the body of a centipede looks quite intimidating and repulsive. Such an unsightly insect as a centipede is classified as ugly and frightening because of its appearance. In literature, centipede is also generally associated with evil. And those who believe in reincarnation know that after death, many dark people move into the body of a centipede to stay in their home, since centipedes, along with spiders, also live in houses.
You will rarely meet people who admire such a strange pattern in tattoos. The main meaning of the wearable centipede is that its owner has great willpower, and warns others to stay away from him. The image on the body of an unsightly scolopendra is basically always understood as a protest and rebellion against social principles and established foundations. The owner of such a tattoo, as it were, warns others that he differs from the ordinary people around him by having his own opinion on everything, and he doesn’t give a damn about the beliefs of others.
To some extent, this approach testifies to selfishness and individualism in any matter. This is manifested in the fact that the owner of a scolopendra tattoo is not very concerned about the views and emotions of the people he encounters. It is even possible that such a person quite deliberately wants to scare them.
A centipede tattoo tells others that its owner can cause harm, although not so much as to be a cause for serious concern. The drawing of the centipede only warns others against hurting its owner in any way.
Some people believe that such a wearable "decoration" carries death. Optimists, on the contrary, endow the centipede tattoo with wealth and success. This is due to the presence of a large number of legs in the insect, which always bring good luck and help to quickly reach the goal.
If the centipede is shown crawling up in the tattoo, then the insect will definitely attract good luck financially, and if down or to the east, then the tattoo indicates distress, prison, or even death.
What is really rare is centipede tattoos. The reasons for this unpopularity are obvious: most people look at these creatures, even if not live, with disgust, many are outright disgusted, and some are completely horrified. But the tattoo culture is as diverse as human addictions, so the centipede tattoo, the meaning of which we will reveal today, is still sometimes found.
Image symbolism
The fear of insects, spiders, worms and other small or even tiny inhabitants of our planet is one of the most “popular” phobias. It would seem that fear as one of the mechanisms of the instinct of self-preservation should not arise when nothing threatens a person, but our brain can sometimes give out something that is difficult to explain from the point of view of common sense.
The roots of most phobias, as we know, often lie in childhood. The cause of uncontrollable fear may be some incident that happened to a child, which in most cases in adulthood is already impossible to remember. Often, people suffering from insectophobia or arachnophobia are even afraid of ladybugs or butterflies, which most consider not only not scary, but even cute and beautiful. The fear of these small creatures, however, is not always irrational, for example, there are insects and spiders that, through a bite, can infect a serious illness or poison a person with poison, which can even lead to death.
Fear and disgust for centipedes are often experienced even by people who sympathize with other insects, and there are good reasons for this. Firstly, the poison of certain species of centipede, although not capable of killing, can be a serious danger. Secondly, the appearance of these creatures is very far from traditional ideas about aesthetics. Thirdly, centipedes can reach up to a quarter of a meter in length, you must admit that it can be really scary to meet such a giant by chance even in the absence of phobias.
Tattoos depicting this creature are almost always perceived as a rebellion against society and its foundations. A person who has chosen such a job, whether he wants it or not, declares: “Look, I'm not like you! I have my own beliefs, and I don't care about yours." This may indicate selfishness to a certain extent, an individualistic approach to any issue. This is expressed in the fact that the owner of the tattoo does not particularly care about the opinions and feelings of the people who surround him. Perhaps he even quite deliberately wants to scare them.
A centipede tattoo indicates that its owner is dangerous, although it does not express a really serious threat that could be a cause for concern. Such an image is a warning to others: “do not hurt me, and I will not touch you.”
Not everyone dares to get a tattoo with a creature that causes so many negative emotions, so the owner of the work with centipede is not only original, but also quite bold.
Scolopendra on your body
If you want to achieve the most intimidating effect, you should opt for a realistic tattoo, this style will definitely depict a scolopendra in such a way that goosebumps will definitely run for those who are especially susceptible. If you turn to a talented and experienced master, then your tattoo will look like this monster from the world of insects is really crawling on your arm, then no one will remain indifferent to such an image. The most popular subject of a realistic centipede tattoo is a centipede crawling out from under the skin of its owner.
If you want to tickle someone's nerves and make a realistic tattoo, you should pay attention to the ornamental style. With the help of beautiful and complex monochrome ornaments, you can depict anything you like, even a centipede. Such a tattoo is less likely to scare others, but the idea will not lose its originality.
As for the place suitable for such a tattoo, a centipede will look good on oblong parts of the body, for example, on the forearm or lower leg. Sometimes it is depicted in the form of a circle, inside of which there is another drawing. In this case, the work will fall quite harmoniously on the shoulder, thigh, shoulder blade or chest.
