1980 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Yang Metal Monkey (庚申)
The 1980 year pillar
The year 1980 corresponds to 庚申 — a Yang Metal year combined with the Monkey branch. The Na Yin image for this pair is "Wood of the Pomegranate" (石榴木).
Monkey year, Yang Metal stem
People often describe 1980 as the year of the Metal Monkey. The animal comes from the branch; the element label comes from the stem. Together they form the traditional shorthand for the year's character.
What a year pillar tells you
A year pillar is one of four pillars in a BaZi chart. The year animal is a familiar cultural label, but a full chart also includes month, day, and hour pillars. Your Day Master — not your year animal — is the primary reference point in most readings.
Build your full chart
MingLens can calculate your four pillars from your birth date, local time, and birthplace. See how your Monkey year fits into the complete structure.