Are the Dragon and Monkey Spirit Guardians compatible?

The board reads them as three-harmony allies, among the stronger branch relations in the twelve. On the first of four layers the pairing scores between 64 and 84, depending on which two birth years are actually being read — the branch relation is fixed, the year elements are not. That layer carries weight 0.30 and reads the birth years only; the other three read the two charts, so this is where a reading starts rather than where it lands.

Which birth years does this pairing cover?

1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 on one side and 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 on the other — 64 combinations in total, and they do not all read alike. The community repeats every twelve years but the year element turns on a ten-year cycle, so 1988 with 1992 and 2000 with 2004 are two different readings of the same pairing.

Does a strong branch relation mean this pairing always works?

No. It means the year layer starts high, and that layer is 0.30 of four. Two people whose communities agree can still differ everywhere the charts are read, which is exactly why the Dragon Spirit Guardian and the Monkey Spirit Guardian are not the whole answer about anybody.

Three-Harmony allies

The Dragon and Monkey Spirit Guardians

Earth and Metal · first-layer scores from 64 to 84

Birth years 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 read against birth years 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040. That is 64 combinations, and the branch relation between the two communities — three-harmony allies — is the same in all of them. What is not the same is the year element behind each birth, which is why the first-layer score across this page runs from 64 to 84 rather than sitting on one number.

Together

Scale and invention. The Dragon Spirit Guardian can command a room and the Monkey Spirit Guardian can find the angle nobody else saw, and Earth feeds Metal, so the Dragon Spirit Guardian's weight actually resources the Monkey Spirit Guardian instead of crowding it out. Ambitious, quick, and better at starting than most pairings are at anything.

What it costs

The Monkey Spirit Guardian manages people and the Dragon Spirit Guardian will not be managed. The moment the Dragon Spirit Guardian works out that it is being handled, pride finishes the job. It holds where the Monkey Spirit Guardian is straight about what it wants, which is not the Monkey Spirit Guardian's first instinct and has to be a decision rather than a mood.

All 64 birth-year combinations

Grouped by the Dragon Spirit Guardian's year. Within each group the branch relation is fixed and only the element cycle moves, which is the whole reason a pairing is not one answer.

Born 1952 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
1952 and 1956	Water and Fire	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1952 and 1968	Water and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1952 and 1980	Water and Metal	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1952 and 1992	Water and Water	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
1952 and 2004	Water and Plant	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1952 and 2016	Water and Fire	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1952 and 2028	Water and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1952 and 2040	Water and Metal	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames

Born 1964 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
1964 and 1956	Plant and Fire	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1964 and 1968	Plant and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1964 and 1980	Plant and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1964 and 1992	Plant and Water	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1964 and 2004	Plant and Plant	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
1964 and 2016	Plant and Fire	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1964 and 2028	Plant and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1964 and 2040	Plant and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond

Born 1976 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
1976 and 1956	Fire and Fire	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
1976 and 1968	Fire and Earth	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1976 and 1980	Fire and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1976 and 1992	Fire and Water	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1976 and 2004	Fire and Plant	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1976 and 2016	Fire and Fire	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
1976 and 2028	Fire and Earth	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1976 and 2040	Fire and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond

Born 1988 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
1988 and 1956	Earth and Fire	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1988 and 1968	Earth and Earth	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
1988 and 1980	Earth and Metal	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1988 and 1992	Earth and Water	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1988 and 2004	Earth and Plant	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
1988 and 2016	Earth and Fire	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
1988 and 2028	Earth and Earth	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
1988 and 2040	Earth and Metal	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames

Born 2000 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
2000 and 1956	Metal and Fire	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2000 and 1968	Metal and Earth	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2000 and 1980	Metal and Metal	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
2000 and 1992	Metal and Water	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2000 and 2004	Metal and Plant	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2000 and 2016	Metal and Fire	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2000 and 2028	Metal and Earth	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2000 and 2040	Metal and Metal	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor

Born 2012 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
2012 and 1956	Water and Fire	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2012 and 1968	Water and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2012 and 1980	Water and Metal	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2012 and 1992	Water and Water	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
2012 and 2004	Water and Plant	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2012 and 2016	Water and Fire	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2012 and 2028	Water and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2012 and 2040	Water and Metal	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames

Born 2024 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
2024 and 1956	Plant and Fire	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2024 and 1968	Plant and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2024 and 1980	Plant and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2024 and 1992	Plant and Water	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2024 and 2004	Plant and Plant	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
2024 and 2016	Plant and Fire	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2024 and 2028	Plant and Earth	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2024 and 2040	Plant and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond

Born 2036 with the Monkey Spirit Guardian's years

Pairing	Year elements	Element cycle	Year layer
2036 and 1956	Fire and Fire	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
2036 and 1968	Fire and Earth	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2036 and 1980	Fire and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2036 and 1992	Fire and Water	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond
2036 and 2004	Fire and Plant	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2036 and 2016	Fire and Fire	Same element	76 · Steady Harbor
2036 and 2028	Fire and Earth	Nourishing cycle	84 · Kindred Flames
2036 and 2040	Fire and Metal	Controlling cycle	64 · Growing Bond

These readings are the first of the board's four layers — the birth years alone — and it carries weight 0.30 of the result. The other three read the two charts rather than the two communities, so a strong or difficult year layer is where a reading starts, not where it lands.

Either community on its own

Frequently asked

Are the Dragon and Monkey Spirit Guardians compatible?: The board reads them as three-harmony allies, among the stronger branch relations in the twelve. On the first of four layers the pairing scores between 64 and 84, depending on which two birth years are actually being read — the branch relation is fixed, the year elements are not. That layer carries weight 0.30 and reads the birth years only; the other three read the two charts, so this is where a reading starts rather than where it lands.
Which birth years does this pairing cover?: 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 on one side and 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 on the other — 64 combinations in total, and they do not all read alike. The community repeats every twelve years but the year element turns on a ten-year cycle, so 1988 with 1992 and 2000 with 2004 are two different readings of the same pairing.
Does a strong branch relation mean this pairing always works?: No. It means the year layer starts high, and that layer is 0.30 of four. Two people whose communities agree can still differ everywhere the charts are read, which is exactly why the Dragon Spirit Guardian and the Monkey Spirit Guardian are not the whole answer about anybody.

This page reads two communities. The board reads two people — four layers, of which the year pillars above are the first. Two birth years is enough to start.

Open the Bonding Map