A Conversation with John Long of Shanghai
2006 Mike McCabe

Shanghai tattooer John Long has established himself for almost a decade as a top talent in his city. Unlike other places in China, life in Shanghai is a cosmopolitan blend of international influences. At one point during the colonial period, the major European powers established business zones in the city that created a lasting legacy. John must keep pace with the sophisticated tastes of his customers who are Chinese, European and from the Americas. They are some of the 14 million people of Shanghai who pride themselves on a worldly sense and evolved artistic sensibility.

The sidewalk in front of John’s shop at No. 264 Maoming Road North (phone: 62717685) buzzes with a constant flow of young people. The low buildings of the Jing’an District are protected for their historical importance and the area has a sense of charm that has attracted stylish boutiques. Recently, John opened a second shop across the street where he focuses on his custom tattoo work. It is designed nicely with a comfortable waiting area and a hospital clean rear room for tattooing.

John is a calm and thoughtful person who projects a sense of focus about what he does. His tattoo work reflects dedication to both his clients and his art. Recently John and his wife Wei have become interested in the teachings of Chinese Buddhism and they both integrate these beliefs into their lives. John has studied at the Ciyun temple located in Chongqing, Sichuan.

As a contemporary Chinese tattooer, John must move among a shifting stream of esthetic influences that compete for his interest. Information continues to be controlled by the Chinese government but in a city like Shanghai there are broader possibilities for an artist to keep pace with worldly ideas and styles. Tattooing now represents a limitless expanse that can become confusing for some, but John has a centered perspective about his goals as an artist. “I like Chinese traditional patterns best,” John says. “Because those patterns can have a lot of variations, in which we can involve our own concept and thinking. This is very special.”

“I think I could be called a Chinese tattooer now, but not yet the title of master artist. That is a respectable address given by us, but I think it is too early to say that, since I consider myself still a freshman in the field of tattoo.” In China, the beginning of tattoo was very early. There is a tale in the Song Dynasty of Mrs. Yue tattooing her son Yue Fei, and many tribes of minority nationalities also have their own tattoos. But their methods of tattoo are rather primitive. The standardized methods of tattooing with tattoo machines were introduced from Western cultures.

“At this point I look at the tattoo work of several artists from different areas of the world,” John continues. “Shige and Paul (Booth) are two tattooers I like best. I love their styles, one is Japanese-styled, very traditional and lifelike, and the other one is very hellacious and vivid, but extremely cool.

“I believe that people who love tattoo, whichever nation, race or color they belong to, are all effected by a most basic and primitive desire which causes them to love and admire tattoo. More specifically, on the basis of material enjoyment, human beings also wish for a bridge linking spirit and flesh, and tattoo is just the best way they can find to express themselves. In my view, the wealthier the materials human beings enjoy in this increasingly developed and prosperous world, the poorer and hollower they may feel spiritually. Therefore in my opinion, more and more people take to tattoo and hope to compensate somehow for their hollowness and vacancy through this way. They try to express their inner worlds, to give vent to their desires, and to find balance between spirit and flesh. To a large degree I think that this accounts for the inevitable trend towards the popularity of tattoo.”

“I don’t think I will be greatly influenced by the globalization of tattoo,” John continues. “I will continue my own way of work and creation as before. Of course, this doesn’t mean I will be conservative and isolated, I will also learn from other masters, absorb their advanced and distinctive techniques, and listen to my customer’s opinions. I think it is important to embody my unique thoughts and style into my work and not just following the trends.”

“I regard professionalism as the priority of all tattooers. A tattooer should treat every customer with conscientiousness. Different nations and regions have different cultures and customs, and in Shanghai, men and women prefer small and mini patterns, so tattoos must be exquisite and elaborate. This is sometimes a kind of challenge for tattooers here.

“There are all kinds of customers in our shop. Diplomats, film stars, foreign tradesmen investing in Shanghai, domestic and overseas tourists passing through Shanghai, and tattoo enthusiasts from domestic sports, literary and art circles. As our shop started quite early, different customers get to know our shop through different channels, so is hard to tell what type of customer frequent the shop more than others. The current ratio of Chinese to foreigners is 6:4. They like various styles. Foreigners prefer Chinese traditional patterns while Chinese choose more western patterns. I find this type of cultural contrast interesting.”

“In today’s world a tattooer has a difficult time staying centered with his or her work,” John concludes. “There is so much information that competes with an artist’s style. For me, I try to stay focused at the same time that I try to grow. This is my challenge as an artist. It takes a lot of dedication and energy. I know that thoughtful tattoo artists and customers all around the world must consider this challenge. It is both exciting and exhausting. This is the world we live in now. If we are lucky and stay dedicated, we will find this process captivating and rewarding. This should be our goal.”

Past articles by Mike McCabe

Jimmy Wong- Bangkok Past and Present and the Tattoos of Indochina. Part I
Jimmy Wong - The Changing Face of Bangkok Tattoo Part II
A Sukhumvit tattooer in Bangkok, 2001
The New York City Tattoo: The Origins of a Style
Beijing Tattoo Artist Dong Dong reflects- A Sense of Focus.