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!
I think my favourite monkey shot it the one wearing a coat, lost in Ikea. It's completely surreal. :D
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The second photo is proof positive that macaques are no more intelligent than humans when choosing a place to live.
ReplyDeleteGung hey fat choy!
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.
ReplyDeleteMary
Aw, you can barely see the little one. Adorable.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! It's a good year to prosper!
Love those northern monkeys. Such a hardy species. The photo is adorable. Best of luck this year!
ReplyDeleteThose are some nice looking monkeys. Super cute too. I hope they're warm enough under that snow. Happy Chinese New Year to you too.
ReplyDeletesuch a moving photo,
ReplyDeletesounds like the year for wacky wild happenings!
I like what the monkey is promising to us!
ReplyDeleteGung hey fat choy!
ReplyDeleteGrowing 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!!! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! May all of your schemes come to fruition!
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute photo! Happy Chinese New Year! (My partner said this year is definitely my Year, since I am his little monkey. Mmmm... LOL)
ReplyDeleteI 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!
ReplyDeleteI guess we'll nix the enchiladas for dinner and order in some Orange Sesame Chicken. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteGreat year for the expression, Not my monkeys, not my circus!
Gung Hey Fat Choy! You know that really means "congratulations on prospering in money" and not Happy New Year, right?
ReplyDeleteYou say Xīnnián kuàilè "sshin-nyen kwhy-ler" in Mandarin, or "sen-nin haow" in Cantonese. It means New Year Happiness.
Xīnnián kuàilè my friend.
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!
ReplyDelete(★)•♥•*´¨`*•.(♥)• Gung Hey Fat Choy! •(♥).•*´¨`*•♥•(★)
ReplyDeleteNothing like monkey love.
ReplyDeleteGung 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.
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute photo! I love it! Happy New Year! Let's go Monkey!
ReplyDeleteOh...that monkey photo...I'm turning into a puddle of mush. It's so darn cute.
ReplyDeleteAnd 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!
Year of the Monkey???? Hell, most the guys I dated.....this is there year.
ReplyDeleteWoe be to the dull or slow-witted? That doesn't bode too well for me then, does it? ;)
ReplyDeleteEver realize the cat got left out of the Chinese zodiac?
ReplyDeleteI'm a dragon
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.
ReplyDeleteI better do some belated exchange. I don't want to ruin my luck!
ReplyDeleteGotta watch those monkeys !!! I have seen that Snow Monkey photo in the past..A favorite for sure..Happy New Year..
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeletehappy happy...
ReplyDeletelove those monkeys..but always feel so sad for them..they always look so cold.
I'm a dragon but being born in the year of the monkey sounds promising.
ReplyDeleteBelated Happy New Year Debra!
Peggy xxxx
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteso many monkeys but we never have too many
ReplyDeleteHappy Year of the Monkey, Debra. Looks like it could an interesting 12 months!
ReplyDeleteThose are the cutest things, shielding their baby..
ReplyDeleteso glad you are back posting....xo
I'd better get on all that business stuff and deal-making then! Right after I've had this glass of wine...
ReplyDeleteMy son was born in the year of the Monkey, and he's half Chinese.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
Happy Lunar New Year :-)
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