The monkey in East Asia has long held a privileged symbolic position as a king, quite opposite the western view of these creatures as chattering and playful. Throughout India, China, and Japan, stories abound of monkey-kings in the role of agile and intelligent heroes.

In Chinese art, the gibbon monkey represents maternal protection. Even though the Chinese monkey can sometimes be seen as foolish or a buffoon, his actions are almost always a mask to hide his true nature as a sage. His role in the lives of humans comes closest to that of the great trickster, who ultimately plays his tricks for the betterment of people.

In the Chinese zodiac, people who are born in the Year of the Monkey are considered quite versatile and thought to have many talents. Creative genius is their hallmark, from the largest to the smallest endeavors. Monkey people are honest, reliable, and can keep a secret. In fact, they are good listeners who might very well be able to offer solutions to all kinds of problems.

People born in the Year of the Monkey are considered most compatible with people born in the Year of the retRat or dragonDragon while they are least compatible with those born in the Year of the tiger