2026 CHINESE MEDICINE: YEAR OF THE FIRE HORSE
My family will gather on the evening of February 16, 2026 to close out the Year of the [Wood] Snake. My mother will cook dishes that generations prior had prepared for their celebrations, but we will also have foods that reflect our modern lives. What won’t change is the symbolism underlying our meal. She will serve a whole steamed fish to welcome abundance and emerald green bok choy and gailan to represent spring renewal. I will bring her apples for peace and a cake from my favorite patisserie to wish her a sweet year.
In Chinese mythology, snakes are admired as wise and introspective, and The Year of the Wood Snake was about renewal and introspection. The element of wood represents growth. I refl ected on shedding that which no longer served us, be they habits or beliefs. It was a year that called on us to be insightful, strategic, resourceful, and intuitive. It truly was The Year of the Crossroads.
On the new moon of February 17, we will welcome the Year of the [Fire] Horse.
My parents have a Chinese brush painting of galloping horses in their living room. Horses are powerful and energetic, so my parents hung this painting to welcome energy and progress into our home. Horses are noble and elegant, symbolizing leadership and quiet authority. They are also tireless and persistent.
The Year of the Horse will come in strong with energy, speed, boldness, and adventure. The fire element intensifies the Year of the Horse, with bursts of spontaneity and creativity. What might this look like?
The last Year of the Fire Horse was 1966, a year of social upheaval and war. 1966 was also a year of boldness–in the United States both the Black Panther Party and the National Organization for Women (NOW) were founded, partly out of frustration over the slow pace of social progress. 1966 was a year of adventure and exploration, with five crewed Gemini missions successfully completed, paving the way for the Apollo missions to the Moon. In that Year of the Fire Horse, The Beach Boys released their seminal album Pet Sounds while The Beatles played their final concert at Candlestick Park (fi re symbolism!) and channeled their creative energy into their album Revolver.
If 1966 is any indication, the Year of the Fire Horse 2026 will be similarly dynamic. We are seeing our institutions and systems incapable of meeting the moment; what new institutions will we build in their lace? Will we be able to balance our passions and emotions, or will we drive even more polarization? As during the Space Age, the era of AI is challenging our perceptions of who we are and our place in the universe. We may see a burst of creative energy in art and science. Being grounded in the Year of the Fire Horse will be important. You may find yourself inspired to create, innovate, and take risks. Be mindful of your energy to avoid burnout and be intuitive to avoid impulsiveness. March 3, 2026 will mark the first full moon of the Year of the Fire Horse. Known as the Lantern Festival, it marks the close of Lunar New Year celebrations.
Growing up in San Francisco, we illuminated our paper lanterns with tiny battery-powered lights. In Taiwan, the tradition is to write your wishes directly on the paper lanterns, light them, and then release them into the night sky. It also happens to be the night of a total lunar eclipse–Earth positioned precisely between the Sun and the Moon. This polarity and tension plays out in the Year of the Fire Horse.
Find your footing. Be grounded.
ABOUT KARENA MAN
KARENA MAN was born in the Year of the Tiger in Hong Kong and grew up in San Francisco, where she is raising her kids to appreciate fog, hills, and the SF Giants. By day she is an executive recruiter but in the evening can be found curled up with a good book and her two cats.
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