File:Shans at home. With two chapters on Shan history and literature (1910) (14784121693).jpg

Identifier: shansathomewitht00miln (find matches)
Title: Shans at home. With two chapters on Shan history and literature
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Milne, Leslie, Mrs., 1860-1952 Cochrane, Wilbur Willis
Subjects: Shan (Asian people)
Publisher: London : John Murray
Contributing Library: University of British Columbia Library
Digitizing Sponsor: University of British Columbia Library

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or not at all. Shan men are alwaystattooed; occasionally only one leg has its bluedecorations, but the rule is to tattoo both legs fromwaist to knee, the thighs being completely coveredwith an elaborate design in dark blue. This orna-mentation does not always end at the knees, butmay be continued to the ankles. The backs of boysare seldom tattooed, though patterns on the backfrom the waist to the shoulders, sometimes in blue,more often in red, are added from time to time. Theleg designs are usually much more artistic thanthose on the back, which have no symmetry. Some-times a design of squares, with a letter in each, mayoccupy the space under one shoulder-blade, while theother side of the back is perhaps decorated with smallcircles or weird beasts or birds. Tattooing in redsometimes fades, but the blue appears to be indelible.The designs show more distinctly on young men thanon old, because with long exposure to the sun Shanslose the fairness of skin that characterises youngpeople. 66
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TATTOOING 67 They say that the pain of the tattooing process isless trying than the intolerable itching that follows,which lasts for several days. When boys are to betattooed they are generally given a certain amount ofopium to deaden the pain, and, during the periodthat follows, their friends sit in a circle round them,giving the wretched boy such advice as this: If youscratch yourself you will spoil the beautiful patternson your legs. ** You wriggle too much, people willthink that you are only a little boy. Rememberthat if you spoil the tattooing no girls will admire you. Tattooing on the legs is chiefly practised as adecoration : it is a sign of manhood ; no girl recognisesthe fact that a youth is a man of a marriageable ageuntil his legs can show the blue markings. Designs,added from time to time on the back or arms, arecharms to ward off wounds or accidents. Love-charmsare tattooed on the arms or on the tip of the tongue.Fine wires of gold, or small discs of gold or silver, areso

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