Year of the Monkey

Hi! My name is Victoria, and I am a first-year biochemistry major! I was born in 2004 which was the year of the monkey. I took this class because I have always been really interested in food studies. Food plays such a large role in our lives, and I think that it’s a mistake to overlook its place in fields such as science, art, and history. I thought this class would be a great opportunity to look at the connection between Chinese zodiac signs and food. I was not too familiar with the Chinese zodiac before the class, so I was excited to learn more. 

 

Since I was born in the year of the monkey, I will be sharing more about what I learned! 

 

Monkeys are known to have magnetic personalities and be fast learners. They are also known to be very scholarly and have a great thirst for knowledge. Personally, I feel like I can really identify with these personality traits. I have always liked learning about niche topics just for the sake of learning. While I like to say that my heart belongs to the sciences, I have studied the agricultural industry pretty extensively, and I also really enjoy learning about the law. Overall, my interests are pretty diverse which is something I take pride in as a monkey. 

 

The foods that are beneficial for monkeys are also something that I found to be very interesting. Some recommended ingredients for monkeys are oranges, green beans, and tomatoes. The taste for monkeys is also spicy. Another important ingredient for monkeys is ginger. In Chinese culture, ginger is used as a medicine and has many health benefits. Ginger is considered to be a strength-building food and has been used to treat a variety of ailments including colds, nausea, and migraines. 

 

Two foods that I found that were particularly interesting were oranges and ginger because of the way that they can tie in the history of monkeys from a scientific perspective. As I have previously mentioned, ginger is known for its medicinal properties. It is also very common for people to turn to oranges when they get sick because of the fruit’s high vitamin C content. Monkeys have been studied extensively in disease research, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, aging, and hepatitis. I found the connection between foods with medicinal purposes and the studies that have been done on monkeys to be a unique overlap. 

 

Monkey years are typically considered to be unlucky years for people that were born during them. So, unfortunately for me, 2028 will not be my year. However, following certain traditions, like wearing red, is supposed to help bring some luck. 

 

From being in this class and doing my own research, I feel that I have learned a lot about many different topics. Not only have I learned about the role of food in different cultures, but I have also learned more about myself. Now that I know more about the monkey, I am excited to learn more about other Chinese zodiac animals!

Links:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

http://hoxzodiac.com/wheel/animals.html

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/monkey.htm

 

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