Monday 8 February 2016

Gung Hey Fat Choy!


Today is the Lunar New Year, so welcome to the Year of the Monkey, everyone! Gung hey fat choy!

What can we expect in a Monkey Year? According to Susan Levitt and Jean Tang in Taoist Astrology:

The Year of the Monkey is a time of courage, action, anarchy, and true devotion to even the wildest of schemes. Success can be attained in business, politics, and real estate. Everyone wants to work the shrewdest angle, get the best deal, and win big. Now is the time to start new endeavors, for they are destined to succeed under Monkey's influence. But woe be to the dull or slow-witted. Monkey will steal all the peanuts and leave nothing but empty shells.

To celebrate this auspicious year, here is my favourite photo of monkeys! They are Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys, who live high in the Japan Alps. The most northern-living of all non-human primates, snow monkeys love to relax in the outdoor mountain hot-springs. Look closely at this wintertime photo of a male and female pairing -- do you see their tiny baby who they are sheltering from the elements and keeping warm between them? Only its little eye is peeking out!


[photo from the internet]

And finally -- to guarantee good luck and prosperity for the upcoming year, be sure to exchange a small coin with a friend today -- click here for details of this fun little ritual!

37 comments:

LL Cool Joe said...

I think my favourite monkey shot it the one wearing a coat, lost in Ikea. It's completely surreal. :D

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PYFZl-vi--/187v0v3po5etmjpg.jpg

The Cranky said...

The second photo is proof positive that macaques are no more intelligent than humans when choosing a place to live.

Gung hey fat choy!

mxtodis123 said...

Happy New Year. Don't know how I forgot about it. I live only a block away from Little Chinatown. I usually cook an Asian meal. Oh well!!! Next year.
Mary

Anonymous said...

Aw, you can barely see the little one. Adorable.

Happy New Year! It's a good year to prosper!

Marie Smith said...

Love those northern monkeys. Such a hardy species. The photo is adorable. Best of luck this year!

Mark said...

Those are some nice looking monkeys. Super cute too. I hope they're warm enough under that snow. Happy Chinese New Year to you too.

Anonymous said...

such a moving photo,
sounds like the year for wacky wild happenings!

DEZMOND said...

I like what the monkey is promising to us!

Jeanne said...

Gung hey fat choy!

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Growing up I had a cousin who had a monkey. That thing freaked me out. Would sit on your shoulder and look for invisible nits. To this day, I have a slight fear of monkeys but that's not going to stop me from celebrating the New Year!!! :)

e said...

Happy New Year! May all of your schemes come to fruition!

Anonymous said...

Such a cute photo! Happy Chinese New Year! (My partner said this year is definitely my Year, since I am his little monkey. Mmmm... LOL)

Debi said...

I have a warm place in my heart for those beautiful snow monkies! I am year of the dragon ( water dragon) always time to celebrate! Happy Chinese New Year!

Toni said...

I guess we'll nix the enchiladas for dinner and order in some Orange Sesame Chicken. Happy New Year.

Great year for the expression, Not my monkeys, not my circus!

Leanna said...

Gung Hey Fat Choy! You know that really means "congratulations on prospering in money" and not Happy New Year, right?

You say Xīnnián kuàilè "sshin-nyen kwhy-ler" in Mandarin, or "sen-nin haow" in Cantonese. It means New Year Happiness.

Xīnnián kuàilè my friend.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Thanks, Leeanna, I'm impressed by your command of Mandarin and Cantonese! I did NOT know the exact meaning of Gung Hey Fat Choy and always just assumed it meant Happy New Year because that's what everyone says at this time of year. But it makes sense that the phrase relates to prosperity instead, because ensuring prosperity seems to be what all the new year rituals are designed to ensure!

Birdie said...

(★)•♥•*´¨`*•.(♥)• Gung Hey Fat Choy! •(♥).•*´¨`*•♥•(★)

Jono said...

Nothing like monkey love.

Guillaume said...

Gung Hey Fat Choy! I will read my book of Chinese legends tonight, thinking of you. There is the story of the Monkey King in it. Interestingly enough, I bought in Montreal a book on the Monkey King.

Magic Love Crow said...

Such a cute photo! I love it! Happy New Year! Let's go Monkey!

Martha said...

Oh...that monkey photo...I'm turning into a puddle of mush. It's so darn cute.

And my eyes got big and round when I saw real estate included in attainable success. YES! Hopefully our home will sell soon.

Happy New Year!

Mistress Maddie said...

Year of the Monkey???? Hell, most the guys I dated.....this is there year.

Insomniac's Attic said...

Woe be to the dull or slow-witted? That doesn't bode too well for me then, does it? ;)

Adam said...

Ever realize the cat got left out of the Chinese zodiac?

I'm a dragon

Anonymous said...

Celebrating this new year with my family which includes my relatively new Russian sister-in-law and her mom. I wish you a happy and blessed year. Let's hope for more bananas for everyone and less monkey business.

Magaly Guerrero said...

I better do some belated exchange. I don't want to ruin my luck!

This N That said...

Gotta watch those monkeys !!! I have seen that Snow Monkey photo in the past..A favorite for sure..Happy New Year..

John M said...

Happy New Year!

yellowdoggranny said...

happy happy...

love those monkeys..but always feel so sad for them..they always look so cold.

miruspeg said...

I'm a dragon but being born in the year of the monkey sounds promising.
Belated Happy New Year Debra!
Peggy xxxx

Jim said...

Happy New Year!

Bill Lisleman said...

so many monkeys but we never have too many

The Dancing Crone said...

Happy Year of the Monkey, Debra. Looks like it could an interesting 12 months!

bj said...

Those are the cutest things, shielding their baby..
so glad you are back posting....xo

Ms Misantropia said...

I'd better get on all that business stuff and deal-making then! Right after I've had this glass of wine...

No Sacrifice Bags said...

My son was born in the year of the Monkey, and he's half Chinese.
I actually had a Squirrel monkey the I was ten. I got him (Pepe) for free from a girl I went to school with. We soon learned why they gave him away. He was a handful, and liked to bite.
We ended up giving him to our neighbours minister. They actually managed to tame him and still had him years later when they moved out of province.

The Happy Whisk said...

Happy Lunar New Year :-)