The Lunar New Year begins today, and it is the Year of the Horse — but which one?
The Lunar New Year is often celebrated with parades, family gatherings, red envelopes, and (sometimes enthusiastically) the lighting of firecrackers for days afterward. Both the animal sign and the element of your birth year are said to influence your personality and destiny. This year’s elemental sign is Fire — so we are celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse.
It’s also worth noting that many people in China and throughout Asia refer to the holiday as Lunar New Year rather than “Chinese New Year,” since several countries celebrate it, including Vietnam and Korea.
According to a Chinese legend, Nüwa is the goddess who created the world. She created certain animals on different days, hence each day is considered the birthday of the corresponding animal.
Legend also has it that in ancient times, Gautama Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on New Year’s Day. Twelve arrived, and he named a year after each one. He declared that people born in each animal’s year would share some of that animal’s traits. This year is the Year of the Horse. Those born in Horse years are said to be energetic, optimistic, perceptive, witty, talented, and warm-hearted. Notable people born in the Year of the Horse include Nelson Mandela, Margot Robbie, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Warren Buffett, and President Theodore Roosevelt.
The spirit of the Horse is often associated with vitality and perseverance — qualities long admired in Chinese culture. The Horse symbolizes energy, intelligence, and an outgoing nature. Extremely animated, Horses thrive when they are the center of attention. Always in search of a good time, they keep crowds entertained with humor and quick wit.
In traditional Chinese culture, an especially talented person might be described as a “Qianli Ma” — literally, a horse that can travel a thousand li in a single day. (One li equals roughly 500 meters.) It’s high praise indeed.
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