50 Peony Tattoo Designs and Meanings

Flower tattoos are always favorite tattoo design ideas for women as most of them are the symbol of feminine beauty. As a flower with strong oriental cultural significance, peony flowers often appear in the tattoo designs of Chinese style and Japanese tattoos. In modern designs, peony tattoos are mostly portrayed in beautiful styles and popular in women’s tattoos. The peony is such amazing flower in the culture of Japan and China, peony tattoos are always meaningful in their designs.

The English word, peony came from the word Paeon (or Paeeon). In Greek mythology, Paeon was the physician of the Olympian gods and a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. Asclepius was jealous of the popularity of his student; Zeus, the god of sky and thunder and the ruler of the Olympians of Mount Olympus, saved Paeon from the wrath of Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower.

With its large, elegant, broad-spreading petals and popularity in the culture and daily life, the peony has long been considered as the floral symbol of China and “the king of flowers”. A peony represents wealth and honor. It also embodies the omen of love and prosperity. A lot of places, poets, songs are named with the prefix of peony, like Peony River, a city in the north of China. Peonies are also popular elements in the traditional art works and crafts, such as embroidery and porcelain. During the Qing Dynasty of China, the government appointed Paeonia suffruticosa as the national flower in 1903. Although it lost the status with the change of the government, there is still debate in China on whether to re-grant it the title or not.

In traditional Japanese tattoo, the phoney flower is called botan. The traditional motif kara-jishi, a Japanese mythological animal is almost always paired with botans, depicted in a masculine devil-may-care style rather than a feminine quality. This is rare case a flower tattoo exclusively representing the quality of men.

Although peonies are cultivated in many colours, white, red, yellow and purple, the peony tattoos are often depicted in deep red color or dark color. Most of them are feminine designs inked on sleeves, rib or back, etc.

The red peony with green levies looks cute – a bold idea for a girl or woman for her first tattoo.

The deep colored peony tattoo is the signage of saturated love. A charming and sexy thigh tattoo.

The colorful tattoo is rendered in realistic style. The vibrant color is beautiful and a symbol of prosperity. You never regret to have a tattoo by an excellent artist.

Black and white peony rib tattoo. “Rose without thorns”.

Artistic rendering of peony flowers of the back tattoo. I almost took it as an oil painting at the first glance.

Masculine peony flowers tattoo

Peony tattoo on thigh tattoo. Love the contrast between the skirt and tattoo.

Decorate your body with the vibrant peony tattoos.

Two peonies on the head. I expect I have the boldness to have the tattoo.

Love the gorgeous peony sleeve tattoo