Baoki

Baoki [ばおき] are traditional tattoos worn exclusively by Summui women after they reach the age of 30. Typically seen on the neck, additional tattoos may be drawn on the backs of the hands or on the breasts. Different symbols could signify different meanings or aspects of the woman's life or character.
== History ==
The custom of baoki was first written of in the 1500s, but is believed to date back much further. The tattoos were associated with rites of passage for women, applied on her 30th birthday, and would usually indicate how many children she had (if any), her marital status, her place of residence, or a word or symbol denoting an aspect of her personality. The motifs and shapes used probably varied throughout history, but by the 1600s, there was a more-or-less standardised set of symbols used across the Zōku islands. In Summui culture, it was believed that the more tattoos a women had, the more respect she deserved, and the stronger she was (not least because the process of tattooing was labourious and painful).
Baoki were banned by the Kantonese government under the Asama administration in 1779, but the practice continued in secret for many years. The ban was part of a wider effort to crack down on Summui culture because it was deemed 'primitive' by the Kantonese. Although the practice of baoki was made legal again in 1981, tattooing became less and less common over time and by the 1950s most Summui women expressed no desire to be given baoki.