The monkey is the ninth of the twelve animals associated with the Chinese lunar calendar. This is the year of the Fire Monkey. Fire is the third of the 10 celestial stems and Monkey is the ninth of the 12 terrestrial branches. Unlike western calendars, the Chinese calendar has names that are repeated every 60 years.  Within the “Stem-Branch” system is a shorter cycle of 12 years denoted by animals.

The fact that the date of Chinese New Year varies within about a month is a clue that it's linked to the new moon.  A rough, and almost infallible guide is that the Chinese New Year follows the second new moon after the winter solstice.

Known for their excellent sense of humor, people born during the Year of the Monkey are said to be mischievous and sociable. With their keen intellect, they can easily adapt to new situations. Pictures of monkeys are often placed on walls and doors to bring good fortune. Characteristics of Monkey People:
•    People born in the year of the monkey are lively, flexible, witty and versatile with strong practical ability.
•    They love to be active and they enjoy sports.
•    Often highly intelligent, they are talented problem solvers, and are self-assured, sociable and innovative.
•    They love being the center of attention and have a magnetic personality.
•    Monkey people have an insatiable desire for knowledge and show amazing creativity in their work.
•    They like challenges and love to succeed, although they can be discouraged if things don't go their way.
•    Monkeys are mischievous; they are masters of the practical joke (though they can sometimes take things too far)
•    They tend to be healthy (probably due to their active lifestyle) but should remember to take a break from their busy schedule now and again.
•    Negative traits are that they can be jealous, suspicious, cunning, arrogant and impatient, and tend to look down on others.