What Lunar New Year’s ‘Year Of The Fire Horse’ Means For 2026

Chinese New Year 2026 falls on Tuesday, February 17, marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar. 

The official Lunar New Year holiday period runs from February 15 to February 23, starting with the new moon and culminating in the Lantern Festival on March 3. While the exact dates of the lunar new year vary in the Gregorian calendar, it always falls between January 21 and February 20. In 2027, the Lunar New Year will begin on Saturday, 6 February, ushering in the Year of the Goat. 

In the Chinese zodiac, elemental combinations occur once every 60 years, and this year is the year of the fire horse. The Chinese zodiac operates on a 12-year cycle, represented by 12 animals, while the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) rotate through the system. Each year, a heavenly stem (one of the five elements, which are in the Yin or Yang category) will pair with an earthly branch (one of the Chinese zodiac animals) to define the mood of the year and generation born in that year. Unlike Western astrology, which assigns zodiac signs based on birth month and the position of constellations along the sun’s ecliptic path, Chinese astrology determines signs by birth year within a lunisolar calendar. Western astrology focuses on the sun’s position at birth and individual psychological traits, while Chinese astrology emphasises generational characteristics and harmony with natural cycles.

The last year of the Fire Horse was in 1966, and the combination is considered particularly dynamic but also temperamental. As explained in the Journal of the Chinese Medical Association, there is a historical superstition that women born in the year of the horse have fiery and ungovernable temperaments, making them unsuitable for marriage and motherhood. This belief is attributed to the notable dip in birth rates in China during the last Fire Horse year 1966. Research later found that increased contraception use and rising abortion rates were actually responsible for the decline in births, but the perception of Fire Horse years as bold and tumultuous remains.

The Fire Horse symbolises courage, dedication and action. In Chinese culture, horses were considered critical for winning battles, giving rise to the saying “mǎ dào chéng gōng”—”upon the arrival of a horse, the success is secured.” The year of the Fire Horse will represent action, speed, and momentum. But there’s a warning embedded in its energy: the fire horse punishes indecision, hesitation, and passiveness. This is not a time to play small.

On The Fifth Dimension podcast, Hong Kong-based Chinese astrologer and spiritual counsellor Letao Wang describes the shift from 2025 to 2026 as transformative. “The year of the snake brought yin energy, the shedding of patterns, but there’s a feeling of completion as we move into the year of the fire horse,” Wang explains. “Not only does the animal sign change, but the element changes from wood to fire. First of all, there’s the transformation from Yin to Yang, from a more hermit energy, to more fiery inspirational energy that is about speed and momentum.”
According to Wang, the fire horse represents charismatic energy, sudden movements, breakthroughs, and travel. Last year may have felt slow and, in some moments, painful—but that work was necessary preparation like a snake shedding its skin.

“If I can use an analogy: the snake has spent the last 12 months contemplating what path to take, the fire horse is the vehicle and chariot to race on that path. The new year is the year to take action and start galloping,” Wang says.

Before the holiday, it is traditional to deep-clean the home. This cleaning symbolises ridding the household of any bad luck from the previous year and making space for good fortune to arrive. The ritual takes on special meaning as we leave the Year of the Snake — a time for shedding old patterns — and step into the forward momentum of the Fire Horse.

On New Year’s Eve, families gather for a reunion dinner featuring symbolic dishes. Fish represents abundance, dumplings shaped like silver ingots signify prosperity, and glutinous rice cake promises growth in the year ahead. Homes are decorated with red lanterns, spring couplets, and paper cuttings — all in the auspicious colour believed to ward off evil spirits.
The first day carries its own traditions. It’s considered bad luck to sweep or take out trash, as this might sweep away newly arrived good fortune. Instead, families visit temples, watch lion and dragon dances, and exchange red envelopes filled with money — hongbao — particularly to children and elders.

According to National Geographic, the holiday is celebrated differently across communities. In Korea, Seollal lasts for three days with a strong emphasis on respecting elders, and women and girls wear the hanbok, colourful outfits featuring full wraparound skirts. In Vietnam, Tết honours the Land Genie and Kitchen Gods — Ong Cong and Ong Tao — who watch over each Vietnamese family. The Miao, a distinct ethnic group in southwest China, celebrates the new year in November, focusing on farming and harvesting.

The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse promises particularly powerful energy. Whether deep cleaning your home to make space for new possibilities or gathering with loved ones for the reunion dinner, the message is clear: now is the time to take action and gallop forward.

In Chinese astrology, each zodiac year has both an animal and an element sign. Together, they form a 60-year cycle of unique combinations with each element tempering the animal’s nature. While you can find your Chinese Zodiac “sign” by entering your birth year into a Chinese New Year calculator to find out whether you’re a “Wood Snake” or a “Water Snake” check your birth year’s final digit.

Metal: Birth year ending in 0 or 1
Water: Birth year ending in 2 or 3
Wood: Birth year ending in 4 or 5
Fire: Birth year ending in 6 or 7
Earth: Birth year ending in 8 or 9