17.02.2026 / Happy Year of the Fire Horse!
APACCCEEC team congratulates all Chinese friends and partners on the upcoming Year of the Fire Horse on February 17, 2026!
The horse is the seventh of the 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac. It is freedom-loving, values its independence, and dislike restrictions. The horse is characterized by determination, courage, and purposefulness, and is a symbol of vitality, success, transformation, and ambition. In China, it is often associated with the saying “the arrival of the horse brings instant success.” Historically, horses have been valued for their role in transportation and the development of societies, and to this day they are considered a harbinger of positive energy and progress in the new year.
Images of running horses are often used in China to attract good fortune in career, as the Year of the Horse is associated with new opportunities for professional advancement. The horse is also the lucky symbol for people born in 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, and 2014.
The signs in the Chinese zodiac go through five elements that further define the characteristics of each year—water, fire, wood, earth, and metal—with 2026 being the year of fire. The element of fire signifies intensity, passion, leadership, innovation, and transformation. Fire is often associated with the color red and the experience of strong emotions. Therefore, the Year of the Fire Horse symbolises a rare but extremely powerful and transformative moment in the Chinese zodiac, as it combines the independent and ambitious nature of the Horse with the energy of Fire. Such years are often defined as a period of radical transformation, but also of great achievements and a desire for freedom and self-improvement. The last Year of the Fire Horse was exactly 60 years ago – 1966.
The celebration of the Chinese New Year according to the traditional lunar-solar calendar is also known as the Spring Festival (Chūnjié). The Spring Festival is the most important holiday in all of China and has a history dating back thousands of years—some researchers claim that it originated more than 4,000 years ago. At the end of 2024, the Spring Festival was included in UNESCO’s list of international intangible cultural heritage, demonstrating the widespread recognition of Chinese culture and the holiday on a global scale.
Some commonly practiced New Year’s traditions include the well-known dragon and lion dances, mounting calligraphies of the Fu character (福), which signifies happiness/prosperity, and setting off fireworks. Red is used in clothing and decorations to bring prosperity, and people exchange “Hongbao” (红包) – red envelopes with cash for good luck.
We warmly extend our Chinese New Year’s greetings to everyone! May the Year of the Fire Horse bring success, prosperity, and positive change!
