by Theodora Lau
Winter
The winter Sheep is usually a picture of grace and decorum. Likely to be well-read and elegant, they will have expensive taste and will be drawn to high society. They know how to cultivate helpful friends and reach influential circles. Quiet, observant, and wise in their own way, they will be well-versed in self-preservation. These could be the most calculating and possessive of all Sheep. Clannish and sentimental, they will always maintain close ties to family and friends. People will be attracted by their talent for design; they can magnify the beautiful and artistic traits of even the dullest, most generic project. Diplomacy is their calling card, and they will never say the wrong or rude thing if they can help it.
Note: It is said in Chinese folklore that Sheep people born in the winter will lead harder lives than other Sheep because they are classified, together with the Ox and Boar, as a sacrificial animal that will be slaughtered for food, especially in the cold season when there is no grass. However, this no longer holds true because most domestic animals are valued and well cared for these days, and the long-term storage of food for winter is no longer a problem.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Sheep
Metal
Catherine Deneuve
Mikhail Gorbachev
Pixie Lott
Emma Roberts
Desmond Tutu
Barbara Walters
Andy Warhol
Water
Muhammad Ali
Robert De Niro
John Denver
Douglas Fairbanks
Bobby Fischer
George Harrison
Mick Jagger
Billie Jean King
Christopher Walken
Wood
Andrew Carnegie
Chow Yun-fat
Kevin Costner
Bill Gates
Mel Gibson
Whoopi Goldberg
Steve Jobs
Bruce Willis
Fire
Pamela Anderson
Will Ferrell
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Nicole Kidman
Matt LeBlanc
Vin Diesel
Sir Laurence Olivier
Julia Roberts
Earth
Isaac Asimov
Kourtney Kardashian
Rosamund Pike
Chris Pratt
9
The Ninth Sign of the Lunar Cycle
The Monkey
I am the seasoned traveler
of the Labyrinth.
The genius of alacrity,
wizard of the impossible.
My brilliance is yet unmatched
in its originality.
My heart’s filled with potent magic
that could cast a hundred spells.
I am put together
for mine own pleasure.
I AM THE MONKEY.
Lunar Years of the Monkey in the Western Calendar Elements
February 6, 1932, to January 25, 1933 Water
January 25, 1944, to February 12, 1945 Wood
February 12, 1956, to January 30, 1957 Fire
January 30, 1968, to February 16, 1969 Earth
February 16, 1980, to February 4, 1981 Metal
February 4, 1992, to January 22, 1993 Water
January 22, 2004, to February 8, 2005 Wood
February 8, 2016, to January 27, 2017 Fire
January 26, , to February 12, Earth
February 12, 2040, to January 31, 2041 Metal
If you were born on the day before the start of the lunar year of the Monkey, e.g., February 3, 1992, your animal sign is the one before the Monkey: the Sheep, the eighth lunar sign.
If you were born on the day after the last day of the lunar year of the Monkey, e.g., January 23, 1993, your sign is the one after the Monkey: the Rooster, the tenth lunar sign.
The sign of the Monkey rules the two-hour segment of the day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. People born during this two-hour segment are said to have the Monkey sign as their ascendant; they will display many of the characteristics common to this sign and will have great affinity for people born under this sign.
The direction appointed to the Monkey is west-southwest. Its season is summer and its principal month is August. The Monkey corresponds to the Western astrological sign of Leo, which rules summer from July 22 to August 21. The Monkey is considered a male or yang sign, and its fixed element is Metal.
The Monkey Personality
Of all the animals in the lunar cycle, the Monkey bears the closest resemblance to the naked ape otherwise known as humanity. It is therefore no wonder that this sign will inherit most of humanity’s intelligence as well as our capacity for deceit.
In the Chinese zodiac, the Monkey is the sign of the inventor, the improviser, and the motivator, a charlatan capable of drawing everyone close through inimitable guile and charm. Being the quick-witted genius of the cycle, the Monkey is clever, flexible, and innovative. The Monkey can solve intricate problems with ease and will be a very fast learner. Monkeys can master anything under the sun and usually have good linguistic aptitude. A person born during this year will be successful at whatever they choose to do. No challenge will be too great for them.
On the negative side, Monkeys have an inborn superiority complex. As a result, they don’t have enough respect for others. Or rather, from their point of view, they have too much respect for themselves. They can be extremely selfish, egotistical, and vain. They also have a jealous streak that surfaces every time someone gets a promotion or something else that the Monkey does not have. Monkeys are extremely competitive, but they are good at concealing their feelings and planning their cunning moves. In the pursuit of money, success, or power, the Monkey’s prowess is unbeatable.
Because of their innate versatility, Monkeys can be good actors, writers, diplomats, lawyers, athletes, financiers, or teachers. They are immensely sociable characters who can get on everyone’s good side. They have the rare gift of making you like them even after they have tricked you.
In the Monkey’s many-sided personality, the one quality that isn’t missing is confidence, no matter how shy or docile he or she may look. Monkeys have an intense and unshakable belief in themselves. They will also take care to display a proper demeanor, well-rehearsed politeness, and a calm dignity. But it would be inaccurate to dub the Monkey as a completely selfish person. No, they are more like children in their delightful preoccupation with themselves. They can be totally oblivious to others if those people are not directly involved in what the Monkey is doing at the moment. Monkeys view themselves with the same fascination and ecstatic joy that babies exhibit the first time they learn how to play with their fingers and toes. Observe how infants react when they discover how to clap their hands. They will squeal with glee and proceed to do the same thing over and over until they master the act. Totally occupied with their marvelous discovery, they are unaware of anything else.
You will find Monkeys evincing the same unabashed joy at their own cleverness and brilliant accomplishments. They won’t hide their pride or be coy about it. They honestly believe no one else can top them.
If you really know the Monkey well, you will always find it difficult to begrudge them their wonderful joie de vivre. It’s what makes them so different from others and so enviable at times. Throwing insults, accusations, and reprimands at them will prove ineffective and even frustrating. Such attacks will just bounce off them harmlessly. It’s simply unthinkable for Monkeys to believe all those nasty things you say about them. It can’t be true. They will find your admonitions baseless and perhaps even hysterically funny. Monkeys have such an accurate picture of themselves, their talents, and their well-deserved good fortune that you must be insanely jealous to make such ridiculous statements. A war of words with the Monkey can be excruciating for the uninitiated. Quick-witted, articulate, and competitive, the Monkey will bury you in clever comments and intelligent arguments. If there is an audience, the Monkey will pour on the
charm and humor mercilessly, leaving an unprepared bully beaten to a rhetorical pulp.
Monkeys do not lack credibility. Their main problem lies in yielding to temptation, because they find it amazingly easy to devise ways to justify their actions or solve dilemmas without too much expense. They rely on brain power, which they have in abundance. As a result, Monkeys find it difficult to get people to trust them. With such an innately clever personality, they find that others are always tempted to suspect their motives. Monkey people are often judged harshly or accused erroneously by those less able than they are. The Monkey’s popularity rating can go up and down like a yo-yo. Yet they never seem overly concerned about your opinion of them, no matter how contrite they appear. Perhaps it’s because they know they can always get you to change it.
This does not mean the Monkey is callous or refuses to accept criticism. Not in the least—when you get to know them, that is. It is just that the Monkey realizes before everyone else that nothing is permanent or irreparable. Don’t sulk, despair, or think it’s the end of the world. Let the Monkey put his or her gray matter to work, and soon things will be right side up again. Remember, to the Monkey, records were made to be broken, standards to be upgraded to higher specifications, inventions to be rendered obsolete by more sophisticated designs. Monkey is the impresario, the perpetual improver. Rarely discouraged by their failures or impressed by the successes of others, Monkeys constantly strive to do better and often astonish even themselves.
When dealing with a Monkey, be factual. Objectivity is something the Monkey lives by. But you might as well know that ultimately it doesn’t matter to the Monkey whether you approve of their methods. Monkeys need only one sanction: their own.
The Monkey-born can cinch any bargain with a flourish. They are conscientious about wheedling the little extras that go along with the deal, too. They may not pounce on you like the Tiger or immobilize you with the power gaze of the Dragon. They will just take one teeny-weeny inch at a time, which may seem quite harmless; but do your arithmetic and you will quickly find that twelve inches makes a foot and three feet a yard. By the time you finish your calculations you may be surprised by how far the Monkey has crept up on you.
The Monkey’s coups de grâce have a lethal whiplash all their own. But then, after you regain consciousness, you must admit that you have never been kayoed with more charm and ingenuity.
But don’t worry, you will live. And just as soon as you have recovered sufficiently from the first shock, the Monkey will return with an even nicer package, a brand-new foolproof scheme, and sure enough, you will fall neatly under his or her spell again. See what I mean? What does the Monkey have—witchcraft? Sorcery? Never mind; it’s too late now. You have become a Monkey addict.
The Monkey is an intellectual. With their superb intelligence, keen memory, and mental proficiency, Monkeys cannot help but be winners in just about any area. Their genius is fueled by insatiable curiosity. They must try anything at least once. If they are stumped by a problem, they will nonchalantly go on to invent a solution. What else? Besides being bright and crafty, Monkeys are practical souls who count their dollars and cents. You won’t find them wasting time or money on losing enterprises.
A realist who is adroit in self-preservation, the Monkey will not hesitate to take the easiest way out of a trap. When they are cornered, they can be unscrupulous in their means of escape. But Monkeys do have a conscience, and when it bothers them too much, they will be hit by bouts of charity and may be overwhelmingly generous all of a sudden. Make hay while the sun shines, for these bouts will not last long.
Monkeys are natural performers, creating excitement and stimulation wherever they go. Few people will be left unstirred by their liveliness and provocative beauty.
The Monkey has a good head for figures and will adapt easily to change. They will work with any group, given enough incentive (often monetary) and sound reasons to do so. A great partygoer, entertaining speaker, gracious host, and tactful confidant, the Monkey must never be underestimated. This sign is ultracompetitive, observant, and calculating. The Monkey will also be attracted to the stage and could be a gifted performer. Cheerful and resourceful, Monkeys can take disappointment in stride and will be able to work on their own initiative from the word go. These efficient animals will not need you to lead them by the hand every step of the way. Independent and self-assured, they know exactly where they want to go and may be able to teach you a few handy shortcuts of her own. They may be nosy, but they won’t be giving away any of their secrets in exchange for your well-guarded information.
Monkeys are good at choosing their words and will say the right thing at the right time. They rarely blunder on important matters or make silly, unfounded remarks. They’re excellent judges of character who are adept at getting their own way, and they will never exceed their limits. You won’t find them doling out money, either. One has to perform if one expects the Monkey to pay something—and perform well, because Monkeys can be very critical and snobbish.
Monkeys are fashionable and neat dressers who are especially vain about their hair. A Monkey’s grooming and coiffure will be as excellent and as fashionable as they can afford. It should be noted that the Monkey native is prone to skin ailments or allergies. Monkeys have sensitive skin and will break out in a rash if they are not careful to review the ingredients in the products they use. Although they seem to pamper themselves unstintingly, they are not tardy or disorganized. Besides their many activities, they will still find the time and energy to take up several hobbies and investigate every aspect of things that appeal to them. Monkeys are some of the most up-to-date people in town, and their homes will show the wide array of interests that capture their curiosity. Monkeys’ homes can differ a great deal from one another. Some enjoy a sparse, minimal home to promote focus. Others adopt a more-is-more attitude, energized by a diverse collection of patterns and knickknacks. The Monkey’s bedside, likely full of books and magazines on an impressive number of topics, will be very telling of his or her current obsessions. History, cooking, a new language—the Monkey’s thirst for knowledge is insatiable. A Monkey can easily fill notebooks with doodles, patentable ideas, and the building blocks of a great screenplay. Every Monkey will be an original; they don’t make molds of this character and stamp them out by the dozen. In spite of their many flaws, people will rally around them simply because they cannot do without the Monkey’s expertise and skills.
The Monkey is remarkably original and shrewd with money. Monkeys are such wizards at manipulating everything that industry, politics, and trade would be lost without them. The Monkey’s guile is famous throughout Chinese history, and the name is synonymous with cleverness. The Monkey is certainly a big asset to have on your team. But first make sure he or she is 100 percent on your side. There are bound to be some mercenary Monkeys in the tribe.
It is difficult to be angry with Monkeys for long because they are experts at making themselves likable and indispensable. They will always maneuver themselves into a lucrative position. When Monkeys lose, they don’t act like stubborn fools; they know how to give in when the odds are stacked against them. Master of the art of survival, the Monkey thrives by the “better to run away and live to fight another day” philosophy.
Monkeys are born strategists. They never move without a plan, probably several plans. They’ll never turn their back on opportunity (which they will recognize in any disguise), and they’ll hitch their wagon to a star, a car, a jet plane, or anything else that moves. They love free rides and will travel first class whenever possible.
Monkeys make good critics. They can pinpoint the specific area where something went wrong and suggest workable remedies. Of course, the type of Monkey they are will determine how they go about it. Some can be so smug that you would rather die before accepting their help.
Generally speaking, however, Monkeys are warm, natural, spontaneous people who are prepared to work hard—especially if they get a piece of the action. The bigger the
piece, the harder they work. Pay them with peanuts and they will turn the tables on you, giving you nothing but peanut shells in return. Take this good piece of advice: never try to trick a Monkey. Chances are you won’t get away with it. Aside from being an expert at taking revenge, the Monkey-born will usually have a wry sense of humor. You’ll catch them chuckling wickedly more often than laughing heartily.
Because Monkeys get what they want without too much effort or struggle, they will not treasure their conquests. They lose interest. The Monkey should learn to be more constant and serious. Monkeys will trust only a handful of people and will not have many real or long friendships because of their complicated and suspicious personality. They dislike confiding in others.
Nonetheless, the Monkey is very much in demand. The Rat will be enchanted by the Monkey’s ingenuity. They will recognize each other by the dollar signs in their eyes. Dragons will seek Monkeys out for their superior wits. Rabbit, Sheep, Dog, Horse, and Ox will all benefit from the Monkey’s versatility and will value his or her competence. The Boar and Rooster will likewise have need of the Monkey’s genius.
Naturally, Snakes with all their wisdom and similarly doubting mind will never be completely comfortable with the Monkey. The Tiger should avoid getting into the Monkey’s path, as the Tiger will be the prime target of the Monkey’s mischief and pranks. Monkeys cannot help but show their prowess when challenged, and upon discovering that Tigers are bad losers, Monkeys will revel in annoying them.
In the final analysis, the Monkey is the supreme innovator and problem solver—the mastermind of the lunar cycle whose vocabulary does not include the word “no.” Like it or not, we will eventually have need of the Monkey’s expertise and superior brain power.
