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As the lunar new year begins, the focus has turned to the Chinese zodiac and the arrival of the year of the fire horse – a rare pairing in the 60-year lunar cycle.
Drawing on Chinese metaphysics, the fire horse blends the horse’s reputation for energy and independence with the intensity of the fire element, giving it a distinct place in the zodiac tradition.
What is the Chinese zodiac and the five elements?
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle in which each year is represented by an animal sign: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. With roots in ancient lunar calendar traditions, the system places certain personality traits under various birth years.
Alongside the animals, Chinese astrology incorporates the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These elements rotate with the zodiac animals, creating a 60-year cycle. Each element is believed to influence one’s traits and destiny.
“The metaphysical theory is that everything on this Earth, including humans, are made up of these five elements and then within these elements, there are yin and yang versions,” the holistic Chinese astrologer Lydia Lee says.
How and when does the fire horse occur?
Once every 60 years, the fire horse is created by pairing the horse with the fire element.
The Chinese zodiac system combines 12 animal signs with the 10 heavenly stems, or 10 symbols that represent the five elements, each in yin and yang forms.
As the animal signs and elements rotate together year by year, every zodiac year is assigned an animal and element. A fire horse year is often described as being fast-moving and high-energy. The last fire horse was in 1966, when China’s Cultural Revolution began, a time of political and social upheaval.
What are the personality traits of the fire horse?
People born in horse years are forthright, strong in reasoning and alert, says Ming Shao, a Melbourne-based feng shui expert. “They are also eloquent … and known for being impatient, wilful [and] heroic individuals,” he says. Adding fire “intensifies” the horse’s characteristics including dynamism, energy, dedication and leadership, according to Shao.
What is predicted for the fire horse year?
Experts say the fire horse year is widely expected to bring intense, fast-paced change on a personal and global level.
Xiaohuan Zhao, a professor in Chinese studies at the University of Sydney, says “rather than predicting disaster, traditional readings frame the fire horse year as a period where heightened energy needs to be managed wisely”.
“Slowing down before making major decisions, staying grounded, and cultivating emotional steadiness are … key ways to navigate the year’s momentum”, he adds.
Grace Niu, a Sydney-based feng shui consultant, also suggests caution, saying that the fire horse year amplifies every natural trait to an intense degree, resulting in “unstoppable drive [and] immense passion … but like a wildfire, that energy must be directed or it can burn through everything – including themselves”.
Pan Wang, an associate professor of Chinese studies at the University of New South Wales, says that based on historical patterns, the fire horse year is predicted to be a challenging period marked by upheaval. “The fire element can manifest as instability and violence, as well as heated economic development and rapid, sometimes reckless, growth.”
Could any industries, zodiac signs or age groups be especially affected?
According to Zhao, industries “connected with movement, heat or rapid change such as technology, finance, transportation, energy and entertainment may feel the fire horse year’s fast and intense pace more strongly”.
In Chinese astrology, the fire horse and those with rat signs are considered a challenging match: the horse’s impulsive, high-energy nature clashes with the rat’s cautious and strategic approach. Other zodiac signs expected to be most affected by the fire horse include the rabbit and the ox.
But not all clashes are bad. For Lee, clashes in energy can bring vital change. “When we experience our lives being stagnant … we actually welcome clashes because it can be transformed into breakthroughs,” she says.
Niu says people entering new life chapters, such as those turning 30, 42, or 60 years old, may find the energy creating a profound rite of passage.
What's the best way to navigate the year?
The key is to stay grounded. Balancing the fire with water-element practices such as slowing down, meditating and hydrating can help, the Sydney-based feng shui expert Mina Zheng says.
Everybody will experience too much fire, she says, adding: “We need to drink a lot more water, more than before, and we also need to cherish water.”
Zheng highlights the balancing power of the earth element to help offset fire. She recommends eating more earthy root vegetables like potatoes and carrots.
Thierry Chow, a Hong Kong-based feng shui expert, suggests wearing certain colours. She says those born in the summer months should “wear more cool tones to help balance out the heavy fire … such as silver, gold, blue and white”.
Is the fire horse something to fear?
Definitely do not fear, Pan says. “I think the fire horse is a self-paradoxical year: it can bring extreme success, such as rapid career progression, but it can also be extremely challenging if one burns out or succumbs to anxiety, which may lead to failure. That said, if we harness the fire horse well, there’s nothing to fear. Embrace the challenge and find a balance!”
