Happy Chinese New Year 2026

Acknowledgment: The animation clips in the video are from Weibo.com and xiaohongshu.com (http://xhslink.com/o/20cLtiF6HT7, http://xhslink.com/o/Ax7SfN3vpOt, and http://xhslink.com/o/9St0fQHLvsW )

Chinese New Year 2026 will fall on Tuesday, 17 February 2026. Marking the beginning of the Year of the Horse (Chinese: 马年; Pinyin: mǎ nián). To celebrate this auspicious occasion, our Chinese language teachers have created a video that highlights the cultural richness and symbolism of the horse. This presentation explores well-known myths and legends, including the Great River-Crossing Race (Chinese:渡河大赛; Pinyin: dù hé dà sài) and Bo Le Appraising Horses (Chinese:伯乐相马; Pinyin: bó lè xiāng mǎ), as well as the symbolic and spiritual significance of the horse as depicted in renowned Chinese artworks by Xu Beihong (Chinese:徐悲鸿; Pinyin: xú bēi hóng).

Although the Horse ranks only seventh among the twelve Chinese zodiac animals, it holds a special place of admiration in Chinese culture. Apart from the mythical dragon, the horse is regarded as one of the most outstanding of all creatures, symbolising speed, endurance, imagination, and vitality. A spirited and swift horse is often praised as a “thousand-li horse” (Chinese: 千里马; Pinyin: qiān lǐ mǎ), a term used to describe an exceptionally talented or capable individual.

The Chinese language contains many idioms featuring the character “马” (horse, Pinyin: mǎ), most of which convey positive meanings—for example, “instant success” (Chinese: 马到成功; Pinyin: mǎ dào chéng gōng)) and “to take the lead” (Chinese: 一马当先; Pinyin: yī mǎ dāng xiān).

Past horse years include 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and now, 2026. It is said that people born in the Year of the Horse are typically lively and outgoing, independent, enthusiastic, and highly sociable. They value freedom and possess a strong drive for progress and action. Their adaptability, optimism, and straightforward nature make them particularly well suited to roles that involve communication and collaboration.

Let us embrace the independence, enthusiasm, and vitality that the Year of the Horse brings. May the new year bless us with health, freedom, and success.

Happy 2026! Happy Year of the Horse!