Jack's tattoos/Theories

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Theories about Jack's tattoos

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Stated as questions or possibilities (avoid question marks, "Maybe", "I think", etc). More appropriate for another article. Illogical or previously disproven. Proven by canon source, and moved to main article. Speculative and lacking any evidence to support arguments. Responding to another theory (use discussion page instead). This does not include responses that can stand alone as its own theory. Usage of an indented bullet does not imply the statement is a response. See the Lostpedia theory policy for more details.

Contents 1 Language 1.1 Why is the tattoo in Chinese, rather than Thai? 2 Reaction 2.1 Why did it cause so much controversy?

Language

Why is the tattoo in Chinese, rather than Thai?

• Thailand has a large population of ethnic Chinese, speaking various dialects of Chinese. but most able to read written Chinese (Mandarin). In addition, many non-ethnic Chinese Thai citizens speak and read Mandarin. The mixture of traditional Chinese calligraphy with simplified implies that the artist was originally from the People's Republic of China, where the process of simplifying Chinese writing, begun under Mao Zedong was never completed, so that in "mainland" China, a mixture of simplified and traditional characters is commonly used by people. Traditionally, tattooing has been part of certain Thai Buddhist religious belief - where special monks would apply the tattoos, which were thought to confer protection to the recipient. However, more recently, they are just becoming body art - as in the West. Thus the use of Chinese in recent tattoos is even more likely - even a quote from Mao.

Reaction

Why did it cause so much controversy?

• Perhaps because there is a growing conflict in various Asian countries, from The Philippines to Nepal between Maoist-oriented political factions and the traditional, established governments, which is reflected in the alignment of many young people with one side or the other. So, the presence of a quote from Mao put on the arm of an American tourist by a Thai tattooist, could be provocative to some people. The fact that Jack was given a tattoo by a kind of supposed traditional healer shouldn't matter, because in Thailand, almost the only people who give the spiritually significant tattoos are male Buddhist monks. She would've been more in the class with body art tattooists.