A numeric look at the Year of the Monkey!

2016 is the 4713th year in the Chinese calendar. Lichun (立春) traditionally signifies the first day of spring, which falls on February 4, 2016. 

In the lunisolar calendar, New Year’s Day might be before or after Lichun.  Chinese New Year Day of Fire Monkey Year is on February 8, 2016.

You might already have heard many predictions about the Year of Monkey so let’s take a look from a numeric point of view. Chinese people are known for being superstitious of numbers – I can say so because I’m one of them!

Living in the multicultural city of Vancouver, you are probably familiar with the meaning of numbers 8 and 4. But did you know that we can also group the numbers together to reveal good or bad meanings? For instance, although 8 means prosperity, putting 5 before it gives a negative meaning (in Cantonese). And 168 （一路發）when sounded out in Cantonese means “prosperous all the way” – how wonderful!

By dissecting the number 2016, it is very interesting to come up with the following “meanings”!

• 2016 = 168 X 12 – remember 168 has such a wonderful meaning? Does it mean it will be prosperous all the way every month of the year?
• 2016 = 888+888+88+88+8+8+8+8+8+8+8+8 – WOW, so many 8’s, I guess it must be good!
• 2016 = 999+999+9+9 – in the Chinese culture, 9 means eternity, so having so many 9’s must be an amazing year!

Well, I’m neither a mathematician nor a Fung Shui master but it is interesting how the number 2016 can be interpreted into such wonderful meanings!

No matter how true it is, it adds a bit of festivity to the celebration as we say goodbye to the Year of the Sheep and usher in the Year of the Monkey.
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Kung Hey Fat Choy or Gong Xi Fa Cai to all!