Chinese New Year starts on Tuesday; what is the meaning of the horse, animal of the year

São Paulo celebrates Chinese New Year with a party on January 31st Chinese New Year, the most important holiday in China, begins this Tuesday (17th) and is marked by celebrations for the arrival of the year of the fire horse. Although the official holiday lasts 9 days, the festivities take place over 40 days, a period that could see a record 9.5 billion trips, according to Chinese government estimates. Also known as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival, the holiday is still celebrated in other Asian countries, such as Vietnam and South Korea. According to the Chinese calendar, which has the Moon as a reference, the year that begins now is 4274. 📅 The Chinese calendar has a cycle of 12 years in which each one is represented by an animal, in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The relationship with animals emerged with Buddhism. According to tradition, Buddha summoned animals to define the calendar, but only 12 showed up – they began to represent the years in the order in which they arrived. Find out what your sign is on the Chinese calendar and understand how each cycle is calculated See PHOTOS of the early celebration of the Chinese New Year in São Paulo Presentation of the dragon during the Chinese New Year procession in the United Kingdom, in a photo from February 14, 2026 Reuters/Temilade Adelaja 🌜 Contrary to what happens in the Gregorian calendar, with 365 or 366 days, the turn of the year in the Chinese calendar does not always happen on the same day. The Chinese year usually lasts 354 or 355 days, time for the Moon to complete 12 cycles. And, to maintain synchronization with the solar cycle and the seasons, there is periodically a leap year with 384 days. This Year of the Horse, for example, runs from February 17, 2026 to February 6, 2027, when the Year of the Goat will begin. The horse is seen as a symbol of freedom, energy, independence and ambition. Therefore, this year is seen by experts as especially conducive to the search for personal development. This year is also represented by fire, one of the five elements of the Chinese calendar (water, metal, earth, fire and wood). And each combination between animal and element happens every 60 years. The symbolism of the fire horse According to the Chinese horoscope, the horse represents the search for freedom and pleasure. Fire symbolizes clarity in relationships and appreciation of intuition, said Adriana Di Lima, consultant in Feng Shui and Chinese astrology. In Chinese tradition, the end of a year serves as a reflection for the transition to the next, said Adriana. According to the consultant, the year of the snake is seen as a period of preparation for this cycle. “In the energy of the year 2025, the sign of the snake brought the teaching and learning of creating goals and using strategy. This year of the horse has a strong tendency for us to achieve what we planned”, he stated. Lanterns prepared for Chinese New Year in a temple in Malaysia, on February 11, 2026 Reuters/Hasnoor Hussain The Chinese horoscope indicates that the characteristics of the year of the horse are expressed in each person according to their own Chinese sign, but are more intense in those who already have the horse sign, said Adriana. “People born in the year of the Horse will have different experiences this year. The Horse person will be more sensitive to all events and will feel their reactions more intensely.” The arrival of Chinese New Year is accompanied by traditions associated with good luck, such as deep cleaning on the last day of the year. It involves everything from cleaning the house to paying off debts and is seen as a way to eliminate negative energy. Holiday generates billions of trips With the turn of the year, large cities in China become emptier. Millions of people travel to see family in the interior, and airports and train stations are crowded. This year, even the Harry Potter universe joined in the celebrations: rival Draco Malfoy became an informal symbol of the year of the horse because the transliteration of his surname in Chinese (Ma-er-fu) means horse and fortune. Many pasted posters of the character on doors and shop windows. Another craze is the so-called sad horse, a red plush that went viral after a manufacturing error left the toy with its mouth sewn backwards, creating a sad expression. The item became a bestseller in wholesale markets. On social media, many young people say that the horse’s haggard appearance represents the tiredness and pressure of the professional routine, in contrast to the festive atmosphere of the holiday. Sad horse plush became a rage during Chinese New Year festivities Reuters/Nicoco Chan Artist poses for a photo during Chinese New Year procession in the United Kingdom, in photo taken on February 14, 2026 Reuters/Temilade Adelaja

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