Sign of the times

Bleeding judo athlete Craig Fallon of Britain at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, has a tattooed Chinese character "yong", meaning brave, on his chest.[Agencies]

Celebrity Chinese tattoos are indelible proof of the country's growing cultural clout, but also evidence that where body art is concerned local is global.

Dragon and Mandarin character designs are ubiquitous in the West but less visible here, where a relatively conservative attitude toward tattoos still exists - they used to be the mark of criminals.

While up to 35 percent of NBA stars have some kind of Chinese-themed motif inked into their skins, the number of Chinese sports stars or entertainers with tattoos is minimal.

Since Dennis Rodman ("Ink not mink") broke the mold in the 1990s the NBA has become so tat obsessed that Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian's unblemished skins are the exception to the rule.

Being a "bad boy" can be a positive selling point in the West, where individualism and thug culture like hip-hop is as likely to be celebrated as castigated.

Marcus Camby of the LA Clippers wears his heart on his sleeve and has the Chinese characters "strive for the clan, the family" on his right arm. Allen Iverson, one of the most decorated NBA players, in terms of tats and stats, has the character for "loyalty".