KOI FISH TATTOO

KOI FISH TATTOO

The Koi fish tattoo is the main staple of the Japanese tradition. The Koi,also known as the Japanese Carp is a bright golden, orange and white fish, sometimes depicted with red overtones. The Koi have glided among the still waters of ornamental ponds for over two thousand years. That’s generally how we view them, as the brightly colored fish swimming in public ponds. Because of their tenacity, the Koi fish tattoo represents perseverance in the face of adversity and strength of character or singleness of purpose. The Koi can also represents wisdom, knowledge, longevity, and loyalty. In Japan and China the Koi has long been a symbol of masculinity and strength. Legends tell of it leaping up the falls at Dragon Gate on the Yellow River in China. In the process it transformed into a dragon, proof of its successful struggle against the long odds. If caught, the koi is said to await the cutting knife without a quiver, in the manner of the Samurai warrior facing the sword. Therefore it is considered in Asian traditions as being the embodiment of honor. In Japan, the koi would appear on a young man’s forearm or leg. As he continued his life’s journey he might eventually earn a dragon for his final back piece, echoing the legend of the leaping koi transforming into a dragon at Dragon Gate. In Western cultures the Koi Fish tattoo is often used as a chest or back piece.