Chinese New Year, also known as Spring festival, falls on Monday, 8 February, this year. The date is based on the Chinese lunar calendar and is characterised by one of 12 animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac. 2016 is the Year of the Monkey, which is the ninth animal in the cycle that includes rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, rooster, dog and pig.

The celebrations begin one day before the New Year till the 15th day, which is known as the
Lantern Festival. The most important Chinese festival is celebrated in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius and the Philippines.

Significance of people born in the Year of Monkey

While people born in the Year of Monkey are said to be curious, social, quick-witted, mischievous and innovative, they are also said to be jealous, suspicious, cunning, selfish and arrogant.

What are lucky and unlucky for Monkey:

  • Lucky Numbers: 1, 7, 8
  • Lucky Colours: white, gold, blue
  • Lucky Flowers: chrysanthemum, alliums
  • Lucky Directions: north, northwest, west
  • Perfect Matches: Ox, Rabbit
  • Unlucky Numbers: 2, 5, 9
  • Unlucky Colours: red, black, grey, dark coffee
  • Unlucky Direction: east
  • Bad Matches: Tiger, Pig

Check out new year quotes by famous personalities below:

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. — Edith Lovejoy Pierce, Writer

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. — Oprah Winfrey, American media proprietor

New Year's Day is every man's birthday. — Charles Lamb, English writer

For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. — TS Eliot, essayist

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions! — Joey Adams, actress

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." — Ralph Waldo Emerson,
essayist

This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change. — Taylor Swift, American singer- songwriter

Check out some wishes, messages and picture greetings to be shared on Chinese New Year 2016 below:

Another year is gone by and a new year is about to start. Here begins a time for you to realise
many of your unfulfilled dreams. Wishing you the greetings of Chinese New Year.

Wishing you all the very best to get succeed in this year and achieve all the goals you have set.
Happy Chinese New Year.

This Monkey year, I give you five Monkeys:

the ingenuity of the macaque,

the health and happiness of the Monkey,

the leisure and wealth of Monkey-kind,

the lightheartedness of apes and Monkeys,

and intelligence and wit surpassing the Monkey King.

May god illuminate your life with His light; May god bless you with peace of night; May God fill
your life with warmth and blessings and fill your heart with everything you wish. Happy Chinese New Year 2016

May this year greet you with frangrant days, colorful as a rainbow, as bright as sunshine and as happy and cheerful as a lark. Happy Chinese New Year

May the rising sun brings bundles of joy, happiness and luck in your life. Happy Chinese New Year

May you be blessed with an enriching and pleasant Chinese New Year of The Monkey.Happy New Year to you and your family.

The year of Monkey is your chance to make desired changes in your life that you have always wanted to bring. Happy Chinese New Year 2016.

May the new year bring in your life joys that never fade, hopes that never die, strength that
never weakens and take you as high as the sky. Wishing you a very happy chinese new year of Monkey.