articles
China Elevator Stories
The New Year of the Horse Is Here
The Year of the Horse started on 17 February 2026.
21/02/2025
Ruth Silbermayr
Author
Chinese New Year celebrations took place on 16 February 2026. This year is the Year of the Fire Horse, my older son’s benmingnian (zodiac birth year). He was born in the Year of the Horse, and every 12th year after a child’s birth is a person’s benmingnian. This means that you celebrate your own zodiac birth year when you turn 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, and—if you reach that age—96. Some people have even celebrated a benmingnian at 108.
It is customary in China to wear red every day during your zodiac birth year to ward off bad luck. People are said to be more prone to experiencing unlucky events during their zodiac birth year unless they wear red, which is believed in China to ward off evil. This can include red socks, red underwear, or a red bracelet. You don’t have to wear red on your whole body, which is great news for those who are somewhat superstitious but don’t want to wear too much red. I am one of those people who is not a big fan of this most celebrated color in China, which can be found on all kinds of things, including bedding, sofa blankets, clothes, and more. I prefer lighter and gentler colors in my home and in my clothing, such as blue or green—colors that aren’t a bright, shrill red.
For Chinese New Year, I didn’t stay in Siping, since my children went to their dad’s place. My first memoir involved traveling to many places and researching the historical events that took place there. Although the book is finished, I plan to write another one structured in a similar way. I wrote my first book in just a few months, as I had already traveled extensively in China and only needed to do additional historical research and complete the writing. I spent many hours writing on my computer at a café when I wasn’t teaching or taking care of my children. I don’t know when my first book will be published, since finding a publisher can take a long time, and the editing and other steps required before publication also take time.
Did you celebrate Chinese New Year?