Yantra, Or Holy Tattoos.

Yantra, or Tattoos, used in Cambodia and Thailand, are believed to have magical powers. There are legends of some old people in Cambodia today who believe they will NEVER die because they have a tattoo which grants them eternal life.


The belief in the magic of tattoos is just one of many animistic elements which have remained a part of everyday Cambidian life for centuries. Even in the face of conversion to Buddhism, the belief in magic and "Spirit power" persists.

Tattoos were very common in olden times. During the 13th century, a visiting monk from China, Zhou Daguan wrote that the King of Angkor's body was inlaid with a piece of sacred iron in such way that even knives and arrows hitting his body, could not wound him.

During the Vietnam War, religious medallions carried by Cambodian soldiers would be covered back and front with tattoos to protect them from bullet. Khmer soldiers even put their religious medals in their mouth before an especially dangerous assult.

The base for many tattoos is geometrical figure. The figure will be overlaid with images of Buddhist and Hindu deities, accompanied by scriptures or mantras written in Pali or ancient Khmer. One was said to give you the power of command. But it was not all about power. One was said to make the bearer more attractive so people would naturally fall in love with him.


Believe it or not.....

胡