The meanings of the Chania tattoo are twofold: protector and avenger, wise guard and cunning demon, all-consuming passion and bitter regrets.

Meaning of Chania Tattoo

First of all, the demon Hanya or Hannya is a very memorable, bright and imaginative character. Especially on the body, the colorful image of Chania will look extraordinary.

In Japanese culture, demons are not strictly negative characters. They are more like perfume and have a protective function. Hanyu is depicted as a talisman. This image can be compared to a guardian angel.

The theatrical mask itself is made in such a way that on the one hand it looks intimidating and angry, and from another angle it reflects suffering, torment and regret, it seems to be sobbing inconsolably. This requires special skill in execution. Chania personifies a suffering soul who has taken revenge, but has not found peace.

The history of the image

The prototype of the Japanese demon is considered to be the Tibetan guardian, guardian of Buddhism, the wise Hannya, owner of a snake mask.

There is another legend associated with the Japanese mask. The girl fell in love with the wandering monk, fell in love passionately and selflessly. But he did not reciprocate, continuing his wanderings. The girl was overcome with resentment, anger and malice for neglecting her sincere feelings. These feelings turned her into a demon, giving her strength.

Having just been reborn, she set off to exact her revenge. She overtook that monk and punished him by burning him with her fiery breath. But regret and disappointment overtook her. Since then, a lonely demon has been wandering around, either cruelly punishing insensitive men, or moaning about lost love.

Many characters and images of Japanese culture and mythology carry dual meanings. Likewise, Chania serves to understand that anger and jealous rage can be caused by deep disappointment and despair. A long life designed for understanding, forgiveness, compassion.

Another legend says that the double mask was created by the monk-sculptor Hanya-bo for ritual dances. The mask is horned, and its mouth opens in a sharp-toothed smile. But when you look sideways, you get the impression that the demon is crying. This image itself is far from feminine, but it is the woman consumed by jealousy and anger that Chania personifies.

Interesting! In Japan, to this day, holding two fingers to the head is a gesture that means a woman is “going crazy” with jealousy of her man.

Hannya looks very memorable. Two bull horns, an aggressive look, a fanged smile from ear to ear. Both the mask and the demon are always depicted in bright colors.

Color saturation also has its own meaning, expressing the degree of anger and passion. Scarlet color means all-consuming passion and intense indignation. Pale tones speak of calmer feelings, love, possessive feelings, the desire to hide the object of passion from the world, to appropriate it.

The breath coming from the demon's mouth symbolizes the destruction that comes from excessive passion.

There are images of Chania with a third eye. This image is intended to emphasize the direct meaning of the word. Chania is translated as "wisdom". Here the mystical additional eye is a sign of superhuman vision, insight. Look deeper, see more.

Almost all Japanese masks are the faces of demons and other representatives of the Dark Side. One of the most popular images is Chania - demon mask, symbolizing both universal evil and wisdom (this is how this word is translated from Japanese).

Chania is a reliable protection against evil spirits. The image is easily recognizable because it has a number of canonical features. Chania in the form of a tattoo is a strong amulet that erects a reliable barrier between its owner and the evil demons surrounding him. If you imprint it on the body, then no one will dare to penetrate it (as well as into the soul).

History of appearance

As legend has it, Chania appeared thanks to a talented Japanese monk who created masks for ritual dances. This item depicts the face of a demon with horns and sharp teeth, which are ideally suited to a smile distorted in impotent anger. If you look at the mask from a certain angle, it looks like the demon is crying hysterically. Chania represents a woman (not being very feminine in appearance) who is jealous and angry. On the stage of traditional Japanese theater, this mask usually hides female characters who are obsessed with jealousy and turn into real monsters because of it. Samurai often used Hanya (symbol of a fallen angel) as an amulet to guarantee protection from the enemy. The oldest surviving mask today is over 450 years old.

Tattoo meaning

As noted above, Chania means an angry and jealous woman, obsessed with her base passion and eager to quickly satisfy the feeling of revenge. Due to the lack of reciprocity on the part of her loved one, the woman turned into a demon. Thus, Chania is nothing more than the breath of passion, destroying everything it touches. According to legend, a woman met her beloved man, but could not think of anything better than to burn him with her fiery breath. There is also another prototype of the demon Chania (less well known). This is a wise Tibetan guardian and guardian of the basic tenets of Buddhism.

Usually the meaning of a tattoo is interpreted differently and largely depends on the person who wished to decorate his body with such an unusual oriental amulet. It can symbolize revenge, protection, a storehouse of wisdom, cunning, internal demons, regret about what happened, raging passions and much more. Thanks to Chania, it becomes clear that only complete despair and deep disappointment can cause jealousy and anger. However, life's wisdom allows you to understand and forgive a lot, arousing compassion in your heart even for the basest manifestations of human passion.

Visualization of the image

The demon Chania (although he is a representative evil spirits in Japanese folklore) has always remained revered. He is a bright and memorable character. If you see it at least once, it is unlikely that this image will be erased from memory. The mask is decorated with large bull horns. The demon's mouth is stretched into a crooked smile. The demonic grin consists of many teeth, framed on the sides by protruding fangs. The eyes are slightly slanted, which creates the effect of a sidelong glance, thereby enlivening the aggressive and cold image. In general, the character is quite scary in appearance, but at the same time full of suffering. Depending on the angle, the set of his emotions differs. On the one hand, Chania is terrible in anger, and on the other hand, he is a living personification of torment and regret. To ensure that all these features are not lost when applying a tattoo, the talent of the artist is important.

Chania is a suffering soul who has taken her revenge, but has never found peace. The recognition of the image is also due to such a canonical element as the fiery breath of the demon. Fire symbolizes the power of destruction, intensified by unrequited passion. Sometimes the image of the above mask can be supplemented with another eye, personifying wisdom and insight that has come (albeit too late). Often the Chania mask is depicted in combination with a snake, a bell and sakura flowers, which are important components of Eastern mythology.

Colors and artist's choice

The Chania mask is traditionally depicted using bright colors, the degree of saturation of which indicates the degree of passion and anger of the character. The color of greatest indignation and anger is bright red. If the colors are somewhat muted, then this symbolizes calmer feelings: love, the desire to possess the object of passion, the desire to hide a loved one from prying eyes. While a rich palette speaks of the demon's emotionality, less flashy colors personify his restraint, prudence, nobility, aristocracy and wisdom.

Nowadays, tattoos of the relevant theme are performed not only by Japanese artists, but also by their European colleagues. Japanese culture filled with mystery, an abundance of different interpretations of images, and ethnic flavor, which attracts special attention to it. By choosing a Chania mask as a tattoo, a person acquires a talisman that is indivisible with his body, protects him from misfortunes, and drives away evil spirits.

It is important that the emotions of the Chania mask be embodied in the drawing by a talented and experienced master who specializes in oriental themes, understands them well, and has the appropriate practical skills. A qualified specialist will assist in choosing the most suitable sketch and will skillfully convey the full gamut of emotions of such a controversial character in the Japanese epic.

Video: sketch of the Mask of Chania

Photos of tattoos from Bloody wave studio

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Chania mask: meaning of tattoo, photos of works, videos and sketches.

One of the popular images in Japanese tattooing is the Oni Demon. These ghostly, fearsome creatures are variously described in Eastern mythology and most often represent the guardians of hell and hunters of sinners.

In older tales, there are also good Demon defenders, such as monks who, after death, became Oni to protect the temple.

In tattoos, Oni Demons are almost always depicted with horns, and their faces are often mask-like and usually red or blue-gray in color.

SCULL

In fact, the meaning of the image of the skull in tattoo has more depth than is commonly believed. Most people do not think about the true meaning of the skull and only associate it with a negative point of view.

But the skull is not just danger, fear or death. Initially, the skull symbolized the “great change.” U different nations in burial places you can see the image of one or several skulls.

IN ancient society the skull meant the celebration of death, that is, the transition to " new life", showed respect for those who went through the greatest change and entered into new period existence.

The hannya mask is one of many masks used in traditional Japanese Noh theater, which has been famous for its performances since around the 14th century AD.

Hannya MASK

The hannya mask is one of many masks used in traditional Japanese Noh theater, which has been famous for its performances since around the 14th century AD. And masks were used by actors to convey the personality and characters of various characters in Japanese fairy tales.

The hannya mask represents an angry, jealous and vengeful woman who has turned into a demon out of envy and anger. Horns, fangs and sparkling eyes express resentment, hatred and suffering, and scattered hair symbolizes strong emotions.

In a tattoo, the hannya mask is sometimes complemented by masks of other characters, but it can also be a separate piece. Traditionally, the hannya mask is made in red, and the brighter and more aggressive the color used, the stronger the emotions expressed in the tattoo.

A characteristic subject of a Japanese tattoo is Namakubi, a severed or pierced head with a sword with an evil expression on its face.

Namakubi (severed head)

A characteristic subject of a Japanese tattoo is Namakubi, a severed or pierced head with a sword with an evil expression on its face. Namakubi can symbolize courage, respect for the enemy, and the willingness to accept one's fate with honor. Can be used as an element of the circle of life or to show others the punishment for an unrighteous life.

Every person contains a certain mystery; many aspects of our life, our thoughts and experiences remain a mystery to others. Tattoo theatrical masks, the meaning of which indicates the need for secrecy, a certain pretense and duplicity, is perfect for a person in whose life such secrecy plays an important role.

It is not always possible to remain ourselves; circumstances sometimes force us to play different roles: one in a work team, another among friends, a third at home. In some cases, this can be called hypocrisy, but often we only hide some emotions and aspects of our personality so as not to hurt other people's feelings or harm ourselves and others.

The designation of a mask tattoo can be different, because it all depends on the sketch, the symbols that are used in it, and belonging to a particular culture. Therefore, today we will try to describe in as much detail as possible the meanings of different tattoos in the form of masks, and give some tips on choosing a style, composition and color palette.

Symbolism in different cultures

Polynesia

In Polynesian culture, mask tattoos play a very important role. They are called tiki and are depicted in such a way that the eyes look in all directions at once, symbolizing protection from any danger, no matter where it comes from. Tiki are warrior masks; in ancient times, only valiant defenders of their tribe wore such images on their bodies. Legend has it that tiki will protect its owner not only from the machinations of enemies, but also from the influence of evil spirits.

Africa

In the rituals of African tribes that still live outside modern civilization, as thousands of years ago, wooden masks are widely used, symbolizing certain spirits and deities. IN Ancient Egypt masks were an important component of funeral rites, symbolizing the outer shell protecting the soul of the deceased in the afterlife.

America

The shamans of North American Indian tribes wore a mask during the ritual, identifying it with the divine face that conveyed its power to the shaman.
During archaeological excavations of Inca settlements, golden masks were found that symbolized the sun.

Japan

One of the most memorable images in traditional Japanese art tattoos - Chania mask tattoo depicting the face of a demon. Demonic entities, in principle, are very revered in the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun, although they carry the energy of destruction, they are used as amulets. The Chania mask symbolizes a girl in whom anger and vindictiveness have awakened due to unrequited love to the monk. According to legend, she turned into a demon and incinerated him with her fiery breath.

Ancient Greece

Most often in contemporary art tattoos include theatrical masks that have already become classics; the meaning of tattoos with their image should be sought in traditions ancient drama. In Greek plays, tragic and comic masks personified the type of character and his role in the production. Nowadays, these two masks, expressing opposing emotions, have become a symbol of the theater. The mask also had a ritual significance, personifying a god or some other entity from the other world in rituals.

Modern culture

Not only ancient traditions influence the art of tattooing, sometimes products of modern mass culture influence us so much that in some sense they change our outlook on life. For example, thanks to the famous dystopia “V for Vendetta,” the Guy Fawkes mask has become one of the popular symbols in tattoos. Its story takes us back to the 17th century, when Briton Guy Fawkes, who participated in the Gunpowder Plot, had to light a fuse that led to a gunpowder-filled room under the Houses of Parliament. It was there that he was captured by the authorities, and later, under torture, he revealed the names of his associates. If at that time Guy Fawkes was considered a cowardly and dishonest man, then main character The film speaks of him as a brave hero who was not afraid to challenge the authorities, although he suffered a fiasco.
The image of the legendary conspirator even influenced the English language. A new word appeared in it - guy. Initially, it denoted an effigy that was traditionally burned on November 5th - Guy Fawkes Night (this was the date that was marked by the attempt to blow up parliament). Later it began to be used to refer to any stuffed animal, then to a tastelessly dressed person. In modern English language this word simply refers to a young man.

Meanings in modern tattoo art

A mask tattoo means the same thing for men and women, the only exception being the Polynesian tiki, which is traditionally considered a masculine attribute. The meaning of such a tattoo largely depends on the history of the design and belonging to a particular culture, however, such images also have a common symbolism:

• Stealth. This design is suitable for a person for whom it is important to keep certain aspects of his essence secret. The reasons may be different: distrust of others, shame, shyness, fear of rejection, fear of hurting other people's feelings, not living up to expectations, or simply introversion.
• Protection. In this case, it has a fairly broad meaning. Literally, the mask protects its owner, preventing him from being identified; figuratively, it serves as a talisman against trouble.
• Duality of nature. Such a tattoo indicates that the character of its owner is ambiguous; he can display unexpected qualities.
• Ability to adapt easily. The image of a theatrical attribute suggests that a person chooses a more advantageous role for himself depending on the circumstances, coping well with each of them.

Tiki

Such images most often act as the center of a composition with a Polynesian ornament, are a talisman, and go well with traditional symbols: turtles, which are also considered a protective amulet, spirals - solar signs, lizards, indicating mental strength and well-developed intuition.

Chania mask

The Chania mask can reflect the entire wide range of emotions that bubble up in a person suffering from unrequited love. In classical Japanese theatrical productions When an actor wearing such a mask looks directly into the audience, the demon's facial expression looks angry, aggressive and frightening. But if you tilt your head a little, completely different features appear in the image; you get the feeling that the demon is sad, almost crying. Indeed, a person whose feelings remain unrequited simultaneously experiences anger at fate and the object of his sympathy, resentment, melancholy and pain.

Theater traditions

A smiling mask is an attribute of Thalia (the muse of comedy), characterizing a positive person. His way of thinking is positive, he goes through life with a smile, willingly meeting obstacles along the way.
The crying mask is an attribute of Melpomene (muse of tragedy). Such an image indicates melancholy, a pessimistic attitude, and a tendency toward fatalism.
A tattoo of two masks means that a person is able to reincarnate, play different roles depending on what fate has in store for him, what circumstances his life confronts.
Such images go well with other theatrical surroundings: curtain, musical instruments, binoculars.

Venetian masquerade

Venetian masquerade masks, although they differ due to the richness of decoration and color schemes, are designed to equalize all participants in the masquerade. Therefore, such drawings convey both the idea of ​​anonymity and the idea of ​​equality. Images of a girl wearing a mask are especially popular.

Hollywood

Apart from the famous V, the film industry has given us many characters who are now known to everyone. Hollywood masks usually speak of passion for a particular film, the idea that is embedded in it. For example, Jason’s mask from “Friday the 13th” indicates an interest in the topic of maniacs, bloody massacres, and the reasons why a person begins to commit atrocities. Such drawings look great in combination with images of murder weapons, for example, a chainsaw, knife, machete.

Joker

If we're talking about about a card figure, the Joker mask will indicate a gambling person who is not afraid to take risks and gets pleasure from it, if about a DC Comics character, then the image will indicate sympathy for him, identifying oneself with him.

Stylistic decisions

When it comes to style and color palette, the choice is very wide, but often depends on the symbolism and cultural background of the design. For example, it would be completely illogical to depict tiki in any style other than Polynesian. A tattoo with a Chanya mask also has certain limitations, because it looks good only in the traditional Japanese oriental style in combination with dark waves, lotuses, peonies and other attributes characteristic of such images. The color of the demonic face has great importance- the darker it is, the stronger the demon’s rage.

Bright, richly saturated tattoo sleeves with masks in the new school style look gorgeous. A composition can consist of many elements: a stage, backstage, an auditorium and even an orchestra pit. Works that contain some sarcasm, for example, a laughing horned devil and a crying angel with a halo, also look interesting in this style. Such a tattoo may indicate that sometimes bad deeds bring joy and satisfaction, while good ones bring pain and suffering.

A realistic portrait of a girl whose face is hidden by a luxurious Venetian mask on her hand will look cool. Realism is a rather complex style, so choose a master responsibly, because not everyone will succeed in such work.