1968 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Earth Monkey

1968 is the year of the Earth Monkey (戊申 Wùshēn), from 30 January 1968 to 16 February 1969. Anyone born in 1968 before 30 January 1968 belongs to the Fire Goat year.

• Animal: Monkey
• Element: Earth (Yang)
• Cycle name: 戊申 Wùshēn, year 45 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 30 January 1968
• Ends: 16 February 1969

The Earth Monkey

Earth years are traditionally linked with steadiness, practicality and care: the element that holds things together and keeps promises. The Monkey is the zodiac's inventor. Tradition describes Monkey people as clever, playful and adaptable, quick to solve a puzzle and quicker to get bored once it is solved. They learn fast and enjoy a clever shortcut.

Born in January or February 1968?

Anyone born from 1 January to 29 January 1968 belongs to the Fire Goat year of 1967. From 30 January 1968 the Earth Monkey year begins.

Famous people born in the Earth Monkey year

• Daniel Craig, born 2 March 1968
• Celine Dion, born 30 March 1968
• Kylie Minogue, born 28 May 1968
• Will Smith, born 25 September 1968
• Naomi Watts, born 28 September 1968
• Hugh Jackman, born 12 October 1968
• Jennifer Aniston, born 11 February 1969

How the dates are worked out

Each Chinese New Year here is worked out from the sky, not copied from a list. A lunar month starts on the day of a New Moon in China Standard Time (UTC+8, or Beijing local time before 1929). The month holding the December solstice is the 11th month. When 13 New Moons fall between two of those months, the first month with no principal solar term (the Sun reaching a multiple of 30 degrees) is a leap month. New Year is the first day of the 1st month, which is why it moves between 21 January and 20 February. New Moons and solar terms follow Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms. The rules follow the Chinese calendar.

1967: Fire Goat · 1969: Earth Rooster · All Monkey years · All 12 animals