Year of the Horse

The year of the horse is always special. At least, to me it is.  Horse is the zodiac animal of my first child, Gwen. According to tradition, characteristics of the horse include being confident, charming, and independent while possessing a nature that is stubborn, impulsive, and carefree.  My friend Audra, a horse trainer, tells me: “A horse’s true character reveals itself in quiet moments, such as when he places his head in your hands, let’s you rub his face, and looks at you, knowing you are his person. That kind of trust is never forced.” She continues:  “It’s what makes the horse such a uniquely intuitive and noble creature.”

Do all these traits spell out the person my adult daughter has become?   Yes and no.  She is very charming and independent, but I have yet to see that extremely stubborn streak emerge.  At the beginning of every lunar year, most of us like to imagine how the current zodiac animal compares to ourselves or to friends and family members.  My horse daughter joins others in the stable such as Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela, first man on the moon Neil Armstrong, and inventor Thomas Edison.

This year we have what is known as the fire horse. Along with the twelve zodiac animals are the five elements – wind, fire, wood, metal, and earth.  These rotate, pairing with each creature so that the alignment occurs every 60 years. In Chinese tradition, if you are born this year or in 1966 you are branded as a fire horse who is a natural leader. You are passionate, determined, and aggressive.

My daughter was born in 1990 – year of the metal horse. This mythological creature is a symbol of loyalty and straightforwardness.  Her ideal mate or friend would be an adventurous tiger, a gentle goat, and a trustworthy dog.  A rat, ox, and snake are considered bad matches as these tend to be rigid, cautious, and meticulous in personality which does not pair well with metal horses who value impulse, freedom, and momentary enjoyment.   The same prediction bodes for this year’s fire horse.  

When did all this begin? The Chinese zodiac calendar was formalized during the Han Dynasty around 206 BCE. In a popular legend, the Jade Emperor (also known as Buddha) invited animals to a race.  The first twelve to cross the river would earn a position in the calendar cycle.  The first to cross was the clever rat, and the last was the pig.  And thus, we have the 12 animals we know today. Scholars believe the 12-year cycle is associated with the 12-year orbit of Jupiter around the sun. Early astronomers divided the sky into twelve sections to track its movement.   

Meanwhile, the five elements, derived from Chinese ancient cosmology, are known as the Ten Heavenly Stems. Why ten?  Each element is paired with either yin or yang, known as opposite cosmic forces. So this year is actually a yang fire horse.  Yang is associated with heat, so it’s a double whammy for the fire horse this year where traits such as energy, excitement, and passion are intensified. 

Worldwide, folks will be celebrating the festive season from Feb. 17 to March 3.  In Asia, the Lunar New Year means that government offices, businesses, and schools will close for anywhere from two to nine days. Families will make pilgrimages to visit relatives far and wide.  Also honoring the Year of the Horse are folks from Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, North and South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and other East and South Asian countries. And while these lands will be wishing one another: Gung Hay Fat Choy” or the equivalent on Feb. 17,  Japan, on the other hand, will be happy to observe the rest of us, for it follows the Gregorian calendar like the United States.