Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Horse

Chinese Zodiac - Year of the HorseIn Chinese culture, each year is attributed to one of 12 animals: The Rat (鼠), Ox (牛), Tiger (虎), Rabbit (兔), Dragon (龍), Snake (蛇), Horse (馬), Sheep (羊), Monkey (猴), Rooster (雞), Dog (狗), Pig (豬). It is believed that each animal bestows certain personality traits to those born in their year. This is a horoscope for the Year of the Horse.

Horse horoscope for the coming year:

Horses are the free-spirits of the zodiac; intuitive and impulsive. Carefree in nature and often seen by others and popular and fun-loving, the horse’s natural charm means they enjoy partying and have many friends. This same carefree nature means that they are often wasteful and can be too easy-going when spending money, without much concern for budgetting. The energetic horse may not be contained too much by rules, as this leads them to rebel and their strong will can manifest itself as a bad temper and stubbornness.

In your own year of birth, it is said that you are more likely to offend the gods, which means you take extra care to avoid misfortune. It is often believed that in your own year, you should handle knives and other sharp items careful to avoid any unexpected injuries, and to pay closer attention to your health.

A Horse year is impulsive and fast-moving and can be a great year for acting fast and following instincts. However, this is also a year in which it can be easy to over-spend; getting caught up in the exuberant horse spirit, and not looking into the finer details. Zodiac signs, like the rat, who prefer careful planning and are less able to make snap decisions will find this year a struggle.

Chinese New Year Customs

Here are a few things that you can do to celebrate the new year:

  • Display lucky papercuts and couplets to encourage good luck to come your way.
  • Have a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve; and eat tangyuen to finish the year together.
  • Clean the house before New Year to sweep out bad luck and welcome good luck. No sweeping during New Year!
  • Eat lucky-sounding foods like fish (a homophone for having surplus) and prawns for a year of joy and happiness.
  • Wear red or brightly colour clothing to scare away the evil spirits.

Want to learn more about the traditions and folklore surrounding Chinese New Year?

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