Year of the Monkey figures come in many shapes and sizes
Primates are taking centre stage as Lunar New Year draws near
The Monkey is the ninth symbol in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, and is becoming a near-ubiquitous presence as people prepare for the Year of the Monkey, which begins on Lunar New Year, Feb. 8, 2016.
Some Monkeys have different emotions (and loincloths).
These toy monkeys were available at a Lunar New Year Fair at Victoria Park, Hong Kong.
You can hang Monkeys as decorations ...
These decorations at a market in Binzhou, eastern China, will be used for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.
... Or send them by mail.
These postage stamps will be used through the year in the Philippines.
Some Monkeys are made from pine cones ...
This Year of the Monkey display was made up from around 15,000 pine cones and plants collected at the Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Japan.
... And some are made out of dough.
This folk artist makes a monkey head dough figurine at a tourist area in Weifang, China.
.... and some Monkeys are tiny and made of lead.
Taiwanese artist Chien-chu Lee, carves a Monkey King from the tip of a pencil lead to mark the Lunar New Year celebrations, in Yunlin County, Taiwan. Lee is an engineer who spends his spare time carving pencil leads as a hobby.
Some Monkeys are sponsored by Pepsi ...
This monkey brings some colour to downtown Hanoi.
... And some are brought to you by Disney.
Disney's Abu, the monkey cartoon character from Aladdin, got a good reception when he appears for New Year celebrations Tokyo's Disneyland.
Some Monkeys stand out ...
There are some twenty thousand Chinese living in Portugal, half of them in Lisbon.
.... while others blend in.
This soft-toy monkey fits right in as it sits on a traditional Chinese lantern in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Some Monkeys take the form of masks.
Folk artist Zhao Yongqi migrated to Beijing for work in the 1980s where he began training under an uncle who specialises in Peking Opera makeup. He soon found he had a passion for painting monkey masks.
And this year, Monkey always has your back.
The Year of the Monkey lasts until Jan. 27, 2017.
