Every twelve years the Monkey returns with a different element, so each Monkey year comes round again every sixty.
木The Wood Monkey
1944 · 2004
The Wood Monkey, born in 1944 or 2004, adds growth and reach to the Monkey's quick mind. Wood is the element of plans that spread outward, so your curiosity tends to become projects: a garden started from cuttings, a side business built from a hobby, a study group you organized yourself. You are often more patient than other Monkeys and more interested in where an idea leads. Watch for taking on too many branches at once; pruning is part of growing.
火The Fire Monkey
1956 · 2016
The Fire Monkey, born in 1956 or 2016, burns bright. Fire warms the Monkey's metal and makes your charm more visible: you are the storyteller at the dinner party, the student with a hand always up, the coworker who rallies everyone for a last-minute push. Fire also pressures metal, so you can feel pushed by your own ambition and impatience. You shine when your enthusiasm has a clear goal, and you rest best when you let the flame drop to a steady glow.
土The Earth Monkey
1908 · 1968 · 2028
The Earth Monkey, born in 1908, 1968 or 2028, has its feet on the ground. Earth feeds metal, so this is a sturdier, more reliable Monkey: still clever, but more likely to finish the renovation, keep the receipts and remember a friend's birthday. You tend to think before you leap and to use your wit to support people rather than to impress them. The risk is quiet stubbornness once you have decided how something should be done.
金The Metal Monkey
1920 · 1980 · 2040
The Metal Monkey, born in 1920, 1980 or 2040, doubles the Monkey's own element. Here the year's metal meets the branch's metal, so your mind is especially sharp and your standards especially high. You like clean solutions, honest deals and tools that work. You can be fiercely independent and very good at a craft you have chosen. The edge can cut, too: a blunt remark or a quick judgment may land harder than you meant, so a softer word helps.
水The Water Monkey
1932 · 1992
The Water Monkey, born in 1932 or 1992, is the most fluid of the five. Metal produces water, so the Monkey's cleverness flows easily into words, empathy and strategy. You read moods well, adapt to new cities and new teams, and often know what someone needs before they ask. You may keep your own plans private until they are ready. The pitfall is changing course so smoothly that others cannot tell where you stand; saying it plainly helps.
