'More than Monkeys' on display in Singapore to usher in Year of Monkey

Japan was the first country in the world to introduce the zodiac theme on stamps in 1950, which was the Year of Tiger. In 2016, Japan issued four stamps with monkeys, and one of the four can be seen at the exhibition.

It's estimated that 54 stamps with monkeys from China are on display, including the famous "Red Monkey" stamp, which shows a black monkey on a dark red background.

Chua told Xinhua that this stamp is one of the most sought-after zodiac stamps. Designed by renowned Chinese artist Huang Yongyu, and lithographer and sculptor Shao Bolin, it was the first zodiac stamp issued by China in 1980.

When talking about monkeys, people may think of Sun Wukong, also known as Monkey King, a main character in the Chinese classical novel "Journey to the West." The exhibition also showcases various stamps related to the story of Sun Wukong.

"Sun Wukong is a traditional classic that almost all Chinese know about. So I was very surprised when I was doing the research to find there were so many stamps printed on the Chinese fable. They highlighted Sun Wukong, and that was interesting. The color was very well," said Chua.

According to Chinese astrology and belief, those born in the Year of Monkey are often said to possess character traits such as curiosity, mischievousness and cleverness. They are fun and loving persons who are always cheerful and energetic.