Meet Xing Xing the one-armed monkey and the grandma nun that adopted her (video)

Despite losing an arm, Xing Xing the Monkey is one chilled-out chonk, all thanks Grandma Ye, the elderly Buddhist nun who rescued her. Xing Xing, also known as Xingxing, is a Tibetan Macaque in China who lost her arm in a wild boar trap. “Xing” means ‘Star” in Chinese Mandarin. The English translation of Xing Xing Is “Twin Star,” so that’s why she’s also called Star the Tibetan Macaque. And “Ye” translates to “Light,” so combined they make Star Light! Xing Xing is also nicknamed “Buddha,” for obvious reasons…

Xing Xing’s story started when she was found in a wild boar trap by a hunter at a young age, which resulted in the loss of her left arm. The hunter then sold Xing Xing to a circus in Fujian Province. They eventually sold her to a restaurant in a local village to be their entertainment. Xing Xing apparently had too big an appetite for her owners, so she sadly lost her job and her home. It’s said she either was kicked out or possibly escaped from the restaurant. Besides the loss of her arm, Xing Xing also has scars around her neck and body from her time in captivity.

Then fate led Xing Xing to a Buddhist temple on Emei Mountain near Dongnanzi Vilage in Sichuan Province, China . Xing Xing was luckily taken in by Grandma Ye, a Buddhist nun in her late 80s. They have lived happily together at her temple for over fifteen years. It’s believed Xing Xing is between 18 and 25 years old. Tibetian Macaques live to around 25 to 30 years old, with some living up to 40 years old. We bet with the happy, relaxed life of a monk, Xing Xing will top 40 for sure!

Thanks to Ye’s kindness and patience, Xing Xing has become very relaxed and friendly to humans for a monkey. Also she’s a big fan of cats and can be seen playing or petting them. This is the opposite of most Macaques, who are usually rambunctious and generally not cozy with humans. For example, they’d be more likely to steal food from you, instead of enjoying munchies with you like Xing Xing.

Videos of Xing Xing looking cute and round while enjoying snacks started going viral in 2021, and now she’s an online celebrity loved by people around the world. But like any celebrity, her fame has its drawbacks. She does sometimes get overwhelmed by all the tourists now flocking to see her. You can see videos of her looking a bit pissed off and swatting at tourists, but Grandma Ye is always there to help.

Earlier in her time at the temple, there was an incident where Xing Xing got really stressed out by tourists and ended up biting Grandma (she was ok though.) Sometimes you’ll see Xing Xing play-biting Grandma, and it’s often a form of stress relief, such as if she’s getting anxious from too much human attention.

And for when Xing Xing needs a break from the spotlight, she has her own secret little cave to hide out in. Her hideout isn’t acceible by the public and little is know about its interior… Could she possibly be breaking her Buddhist monk vows by having a TV in there?

Now that she’s a superstar, she’s been getting too many visitors, which has led to eating too much ]food, including human food. Let’s hope she cuts back on the snacks but keeps getting all the love she deserves!

Related: The Touching moment a monkey mourned the death of the man who showed kindness

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