2016: the year of the Fire Monkey (丙申)
In Korean saju, 2016 is the year of 丙申 (Byeong-sin). The top character, 丙, is yang Fire, and the bottom character, 申, is the Monkey. Together they make 2016 the year of the Fire Monkey. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 2016 at 18:46 Korea time and runs until February 4, 2017.
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2016 at a glance
- Year pair
- 丙申 · Byeong-sin
- Element
- Fire (yang)
- Animal
- Monkey
- Old poetic name
- 山下火 · Fire below the hill
- Saju year starts
- February 4, 2016 18:46
- Ends
- February 4, 2017
- Age in 2027
- turns 11
Born in January or early February 2016?
The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 2016 at 18:46 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 乙未: you belong to 2015, the year of the Wood Goat.
Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 8 in 2016, after Ipchun. So for birthdays from Ipchun until the day before February 8, saju already says Monkey while those sites still say Goat.
The two characters of 丙申
- 丙Byeong · the sun at midday — fire that lights up everything
- Sin · Monkey · hard rock in early autumn
The Fire element of 2016
The top character decides the year’s element, so 2016 is a Fire year. When Fire energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel bright, expressive, and ready to share your passion with others.
- Color
- Red
- Food
- Tomatoes, red berries, and warm spices
- Direction
- South
- Activity
- Getting some sunlight or dancing to your favorite song
This is your birth-year element. In saju, your core element comes from your birth day instead (the day master), and it can be different. A free saju card shows yours.
Month pillars of the 2016 saju year
In saju, each month also has a pair, and it starts on a solar term, not on the 1st. These are the twelve months of 丙申 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.
| Month pair | Starts |
|---|---|
| 庚寅Gyeong-in | February 4 |
| 辛卯Sin-myo | March 5 |
| 壬辰Im-jin | April 4 |
| 癸巳Gye-sa | May 5 |
| 甲午Gap-o | June 5 |
| 乙未Eul-mi | July 7 |
| 丙申Byeong-sin | August 7 |
| 丁酉Jeong-yu | September 7 |
| 戊戌Mu-sul | October 8 |
| 己亥Gi-hae | November 7 |
| 庚子Gyeong-ja | December 7 |
| 辛丑Sin-chuk | January 5, 2017 |
The Monkey in zodiac compatibility
By the branch tables, the Monkey’s closest match is the Snake (six harmony). Its team of three adds the Rat and Dragon. Its opposite sign, the Tiger, is a clash pair, read as different rhythms rather than bad luck.
The Monkey in 2027
Fire controls your Metal. The year tends to feel like structure: rules, deadlines, other people’s expectations. Clear priorities usually help.
Ties with 丁未: No main combination or clash with 未 this year.
2027 outlook for the Monkey →Other Monkey years
The Monkey comes back every 12 years, but the element on top changes each time:
- 1944甲申 · Wood Monkey
- 1956丙申 · Fire Monkey
- 1968戊申 · Earth Monkey
- 1980庚申 · Metal Monkey
- 1992壬申 · Water Monkey
- 2004甲申 · Wood Monkey
- 2028戊申 · Earth Monkey
The exact pair 丙申 returns every 60 years: 1956 and 2076.
Read 丙申 as a day pillar →How to read this
Your birth year is one pillar out of four. Your birth month, day and hour usually say more about you than the year does. Use this page for facts and fun, then check the full chart.
Born in 2016? See your whole chart
Your year is one pillar. Add your birthday for a free saju card with all four, worked out on your device.
Questions about 2016
What Chinese zodiac animal is 2016?
2016 is the year of the Monkey, and more exactly the Fire Monkey (丙申). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 2016 to February 4, 2017.
What element is 2016?
Fire. The top character 丙 is yang Fire, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 申 adds Metal.
I was born in January 2016. What is my sign?
Before Ipchun (February 4, 2016, 18:46 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 乙未, the Wood Goat of 2015. Check your exact time if you were born that day.
Is my birth-year element my saju element?
Not exactly. The year element describes your birth year. Saju reads your core self from your birth-day character (the day master), which needs your full birth date.