2016 is the Year of the Monkey. Monkeys are so smart and cute, and so many people like them. They have become a part of culture. Here are some stories to help you learn more about
them.
New stamps for the year
The China Post Group made special stamps for the year. They made two styles. On the first one, a monkey hangs on a branch（树枝）, holding a big red peach. This means to give luck to people. On the other stamp, a mother monkey holds two monkey b abies in her arms. It shows the happy reunion（团聚） of families. The monkey stamps were for sale on Jan.5th.
Monkey show
In China, there is an ancient drama called Monkey Show. It tells the story of Monkey King. When actors perform, they will paint "monkey faces" with colors. Red is the main color. Interestingly, they don't draw eyebrows（眉毛）.
Influence on personality
In Chinese culture, the monkey is a symbol of wisdom. Those who were born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be smart and outgoing. They are also said to have strong leadership and social skills. They can solve all kinds of problems in life and be kind to others.
Fun Fact
Did you know? The world's smallest monkey is the finger monkey. It is only 10cm tall. They live in the Amazon rainforest （亚马孙雨林） of South America. Amazingly, they can turn their heads 180 degrees.

    Body language is the quiet, secret and most powerful language of all! It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 per cent of what we really mean while words themselves only express 7 per cent. So, while your mouth is closed, your body is just saying...

    Arms. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you're unhappy!

    Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are the monitor in class, you can also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little to one side.

    Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still!

    Posture(姿势). A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. If you are feeling down, you normally don't sit straight, with your shoulders inwards. This makes breathing more difficult, which in turn can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable.

    Mouth. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips(噘起嘴唇). You might also use this position to hold back an angry comment you don't wish to show. However it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you're not pleased.

    Lao Men Dong (also known as East Zhonghua Gate Historical Culture Block) is a well-known place of interest in Qinhuai District, Nanjing. It is not big, but has attracted visitors of the whole city and the whole country as well.

    To the south of Confucius Temple, the block is not far from Qinhuai River. Over twenty years ago, it was only a small block full of old houses and dirty, narrow roads. There were not many shops or public services. Most of the people living there were either too old or too poor to move. Things have changed since 2010s. Because of the regulatory plan, the residence (原居民) have moved to other newly-built communities. The government has also built many clean and neat roads. A couple of old-fashioned houses have also been renewed. Both local and foreign businesses have settled down here, such as Librairie Avant-grade (先锋书店) and Starbucks. You can also try some other local snacks and pay a visit to the art museums.

    Lao Men Dong is developing so fast that it has become an outstanding landmark of Nanjing's culture.