11/06/2026
ARTIST SERIES: ZHUO DAN TING • Zhuo Dan Ting (Ms. Ting)
When people hear the name Zhuo Dan Ting, or simply Ms. Ting, they often think of her tattooing. With more than 25 years in the industry, an international reputation, and Shanghai Tattoo established in both China and the United States, she’s dedicated much of her life to her craft.
But there’s a lot more to Ting than tattoos.
Born and raised in the deep north of China, Ting was a quiet, stubborn little girl who couldn’t stop drawing. Her grandmother was her very first art teacher, teaching her to draw cows on the floor, while her father encouraged her creativity and helped find resources to develop her talent.
A lifelong heavy metal fan, Ting discovered Western music through dakou (打口), damaged cassette tapes that circulated in China during her school years. She couldn’t understand the English lyrics, but she loved the music. Her all-time favorite band? Carcass!
Naturally introverted, Ting can be quiet around people she doesn’t know, but once she’s comfortable, she can talk your ear off! She’s an animal lover, doesn’t tolerate bu****it, and absolutely cannot stand melted ice cream, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice.
Outside the shop, Ting loves gardening, bass fishing, and spending time with her husband Joshua and their two spoiled dogs, Thanos and Pepper. She’s kept all kinds of animals over the years, including a chicken in her 22nd-floor Shanghai apartment! She also caught her very first bass, weighing 3.7 pounds, from her kayak on Folsom Lake.
Get to know Ms. Ting and check out some of her work in this week’s Shanghai Tattoo Artist Series!
For a more in-depth look at the lives and stories of the crew behind Shanghai Tattoo, check out our Artist Series newsletter at www.shanghaitattoo916.com, with a new artist featured every week!
