The images were typically of traditional Chinese green dragons and white tigers, or of Japanese-style spirits and floral patterns. The gangsters typically wanted the largest tattoos they could get to demonstrate their courage and ferocity. Naturally, their tattoos also functioned as a symbol of gang affiliation.
刺青的圖騰，多半選擇中國傳統式的青龍、白虎，或採自日本浮世繪的鬼頭和版花等，並儘量以大面積圖案表現霸氣、孔武有力的象徵，自然也成為幫派識別最好的記印。