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Updated 2026-11-01

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The Earth Monkey Year

What it means to be born in a Earth Monkey year in the Tibetan-Mongolian (zurkhai) tradition — the Monkey's nature shaped by the element of Earth. tradition

Earth Monkey years: 1908, 1968, 2028. The next Earth Monkey year is 2028.
Rhesus macaque
Rhesus macaqueImage: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Monkey

Inventive, witty, versatile and curious. The Monkey is one of the twelve animal signs (jil) that, paired with the five elements, make up the 60-year cycle.

The element of Earth

Earth governs stability, nourishment, patience, loyalty and practicality; its season is the turn of the seasons and its direction is the centre. Earth is the grounding, holding energy — it gives a sign reliability, endurance and care for others, though it can settle into stubbornness or worry.

Tibetan macaque
Tibetan macaqueImage: Jmhullot · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Earth Monkey: the blend

A Monkey born in a Earth Monkey year carries the Monkey's nature — inventive, witty, versatile and curious — under the influence of Earth, the element of stability, nourishment, patience, loyalty and practicality. Earth is the grounding, holding energy — it gives a sign reliability, endurance and care for others, though it can settle into stubbornness or worry.

Years of the Earth Monkey

1908turns 118 in 2026
1968turns 58 in 2026
2028turns -2 in 2026 · current/next

Frequently asked

What years are Earth Monkey years?
The Earth Monkey pairing falls on 1908, 1968, 2028 and recurs every 60 years.
What is a person born in a Earth Monkey year like?
A Monkey born in a Earth Monkey year carries the Monkey's nature — inventive, witty, versatile and curious — under the influence of Earth, the element of stability, nourishment, patience, loyalty and practicality. Earth is the grounding, holding energy — it gives a sign reliability, endurance and care for others, though it can settle into stubbornness or worry.
How does the Tibetan element–animal cycle work?
Tibetan astrology overlays a 12-year cycle of animals with a 5-element cycle (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Each element governs two consecutive years, so 12 animals × 5 elements form a 60-year cycle before the same animal+element pairing repeats. Every year therefore carries both an animal and an element — 2026 is the Fire Horse. The system blends indigenous Bon astrology, Chinese-derived element/animal astrology, and Indian Kalachakra star astrology.

The Monkey in the other elements

Wood Monkey Fire Monkey Metal Monkey Water Monkey

More on the Monkey sign → · What is zurkhai? →

Animal/element traits and yearly outlooks are presented as traditional belief, not fact, and vary between astrologers and lineages.