Lunar New Year 2026 live: Year of the Fire Horse

It was in 1966.

As we posted earlier, the combination is a result of a pairing between one of the 12 animals in the zodiac and one of the five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

Each unique pairing between an animal and element carries a different energy and comes around once every 60 years.

In the Chinese zodiac, the horse is known for its vitality and confidence. These traits may be fuelled further by the fire element, say Chinese astrology experts.

Thanyarat Doksone
Producer, BBC News Bangkok

Yu Kanticha, a 50-year-old resident of Chachoengsao province in Thailand, drove more than one hour to Bangkok’s Chinatown so that her young niece and two nephews could see the dragon dance this morning.

“The kids like the dragon dance. They’re so excited. Two of them have never seen it before,” she tells us.

“It’s still worth coming here even though it’s visibly less festive than the previous years. I’ve been coming here every year to pray at a temple here.”

Watchara Tantajiranuwat, 39, from Nonthaburi province in Bangkok’s outskirts, is in Chinatown with her mother, her husband and their five-year-old son.

Praying at the temple for good fortune has become an annual ritual, she tells us.

“My ancestors are Chinese, so naturally we have to come. I made a wish for everything in this new year to run smoothly. I asked for good luck and good health for everyone in the family.”

Here are more images of Lunar New Year festivities from around the world.

Legend has it that the Chinese zodiac was created when the Jade Emperor invited all the animals to a race across a river on his birthday.

According to these myths, the Cat too was one of the contenders. But it dropped out of the race after getting tricked by the Rat. There are different tales as to how this deceit unfolded.

In one of them, the Rat and Cat were both riding the Ox, when the competitive rodent pushed the Cat into the river, leaving it struggling for survival.

In another version, the Cat was said to have overslept and missed out on the race.

Thus, the legend goes, began the enmity between cats and rats – and it’s the reason why the cat is not in the Chinese zodiac.

However, the cat’s legacy lives on in Vietnamese culture – it replaces the rabbit in their zodiac.

A TikTok trend called “Chinamaxxing” has taken off in the West, just in time for Lunar New Year.

Chinese wellness practices, once associated with the tacky and geriatric, have suddenly found themselves in vogue, largely among Americans.

From warm apple-boiled water to indoor slippers and longevity exercises, people are sharing videos of themselves “learning to be Chinese”. Many come with the Fight Club-inspired caption “you met me at a very Chinese time in my life”, or the hashtag #newlychinese.

We are all Chinese now, it seems. Read the full story here.

Lana Lam
BBC News, Sydney

Hong Kong-born Australian Christina Yuen, 42, and her husband Frank Bui, 45, have taken their two young sons out of school today but for good reason.

“It’s a culture day,” Christina tells the BBC on the steps of Sydney’s Town Hall where the family have just watched a traditional Chinese lion dance.

“It’s important for them to learn about their roots and understand Lunar New Year while growing up in Australia.”

“Both our families are quite traditional and we want to keep that going but it’s a bit lost on their generation now. For example, we try to maintain Cantonese, but it’s hard.”

Harrison, 4, and his big brother Oliver, 6, are in the front row when the Chinese lions make a beeline for them, so they both get to stroke the nose of the lion, which is meant to bring good luck for the new year.

As the dance finishes, the family are heading to a toy shop – looks like the kids’ luck has already started.

Sylvia Chang
BBC Chinese, Hong Kong

Dr Christian Yao, a senior lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Management in New Zealand, tells the BBC that expressions using horse imagery are likely to appear widely in workplace speeches, presentations and email subject lines in 2026.

He said such language in the workplace becomes a tool of “soft governance” whereby employees are encouraged to reflect the proactive, speedy attributes of the Fire Horse.

Many young professionals now use animal imagery as shorthand for their working lives. In corporate and official settings, they echo the slogans about speed, momentum, and “success at a gallop” in the Year of the Horse.

At the same time, some describe themselves as “niuma” – literally “ox-horse”, a slang term for an overworked beast of burden.

“The coexistence of these two languages”, Dr Yao says, “captures the most typical tension in today’s Chinese workplace: the need to keep up an uplifting narrative in public, while privately admitting burnout and powerlessness.”

Duc Ha
BBC World Service

The first day of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam is traditionally dedicated to family. While some visit temples to pray for peace, many others flock to cemeteries to offer incense in memory of their dead.

It is a day of remembrance, where the scent of burning incense symbolises the enduring bond between the living and their ancestors. Believing that the deceased share the same needs as the living, many families include contemporary snacks alongside their traditional offerings.

In certain regions, the tradition extends beyond family. Visitors light incense on graves of people unrelated to them. It’s a gesture of respect and sincerity.

BBC Burmese Service

We bring you now to Myanmar, in Yangon’s Chinatown also known as Latha.

Before the 2021 military coup, this area was a famous tourist spot. The Lunar Year is still celebrated, but in a less festive way.

Mustofa
BBC Indonesia

In Indonesia, Lunar New Year is seen as a moment to reflect on centuries of cultural harmony in the country.

The historic Masjid Jamik Sumenep stands as a symbol of Chinese–local culture.

Built between 1779 and 1787 and designed by Lauw Piango, an architect of Chinese descent, the mosque blends Chinese and local architectural elements, reflecting a long tradition of mutual respect.

Historical records show Chinese migrants arrived in Sumenep around 1740 seeking refuge during unrest in Java.

They were welcomed by local rulers and communities. Many married locals, forming a Chinese-Muslim community.

Herman Susanto, 37, a Chinese Muslim, says he still celebrates Lunar New Year or Cap Go Meh, although not on a large scale.

“Just as a form of respect. Many of my cousins are non-Muslim and celebrating the day,” he said.

To mark the Lunar New Year, families in Singapore and Malaysia toss a fish salad for luck and prosperity. It’s a fun – and messy – tradition known as lohei.

But a group of students at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have gotten into trouble for getting a little too carried away with their lohei.

A video of around 100 students, external engaging in what can only be described as a very noisy food fight was posted to TikTok a few days ago. In addition to tossing the salad, students can also be seen throwing plastic cups and salad at each other.

While some saw it as typical campus fun, many online were outraged by what they saw as food wastage and rowdy behaviour.

The university has since said that the students in the video will “receive counselling”.

Not a very auspicious start to their year of the Horse…

And for those who want to know what lohei looks like, watch the video below.

Stephen McDonell
China correspondent

The Lunar New Year is a time to be with family and a period of reflection about the future.

Eunice Yang
BBC Chinese

Many young Chinese are choosing to make only a brief visit home for Lunar New Year, hoping to avoid their families’ intimate questions regarding topics such as relationships, career and salary.

One woman, Zhang Yunxi, spent New Year’s Eve at a hotel near the airport, having booked a last-minute flight back from her parents’ home on Tuesday morning after having a career-related argument with her father.

“I no longer understand the concept of family reunion,” she tells BBC Chinese. “This isn’t a gathering; it’s an annual humiliation. My dignity is thrown to the ground and rubbed against me, left to be judged at will by my closest relatives.”

It’s a feeling shared by many, spurring viral hashtags such as “returning to my rented home during the Spring Festival”, as well as related search terms like “I can’t go back” and “I don’t want to stay at home”.

If you’re just joining us – welcome. Much of East and South East Asia is halfway into the first day of the Year of the Fire Horse and BBC teams across the region have been keeping us posted on the celebrations.

Red envelopes have been given out, noodles tossed and mandarin oranges devoured, while many others have begun journeying home to mark the festivities with family and friends.

• In China a record 9.5 billion cross-regional journeys are expected to take place this year as part of the annual travel rush that is widely described as the largest human migration in the world.
• In South Korea, a record 720,000 outbound passengers were expected at Incheon International Airport during the five-day holiday.
• In Manila, families have travelled to Binondo, the world’s oldest Chinatown, to feast on sticky rice cakes, dumplings and stir-fried noodles.
• Lion dances were held in several locations across Sydney, including Darling Harbour and Town Hall where spectators were treated to four different lions in green, yellow, blue and pink.
• Celebrations have been muted in Bangkok, as Thailand is still observing a one-year mourning period following the passing of Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother since last October.

Joel Guinto
Live editor

Search for Manila Chinatown on YouTube and you’ll get a flood of videos from content creators on food walking tours, all racking up millions of views.

The centuries-old riverside district of Binondo is bustling with activity on a normal day, but on the first day of the Lunar New Year, its streets and alleyways are extra crowded with locals and tourists looking for pork and chive dumplings, toasted pork buns, and beef noodles.

The flavours in Binondo underscore the Philippines’ strong Spanish and American influences. Fresh vegetable spring rolls are sometimes perfumed and given a golden hue using annatto seeds, commonly found in South American kitchens. Steamed buns in a convenience store are filled with pizza-flavoured pork mince.

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, President Bongbong Marcos, told Filipinos to visit Binondo.

“Walk its streets. Taste its flavours. Feel its history,” he said.

Sylvia Chang
BBC News Chinese

Although rooted in ancient tradition, the Chinese Zodiac is now widely embraced in modern culture, celebrated in urban spaces, online and in branding campaigns.

In cities across China, Lunar New Year celebrations have increasingly become large visual spectacles. Shopping districts, transport hubs and landmark buildings incorporate zodiac imagery into installations and lighting schemes.

Zodiac imagery has become a common feature in commercial packaging. Many brands have launched Year of the Horse gift boxes, while motifs of horses and the colour red have been adopted in marketing campaigns for luxury goods, skincare, and food and beverages.

Virma Simonette
Reporting from Manila

More from Manila’s Chinatown. Street vendors are hoping visitors will make room from their tight budgets for charms that will bring them good fortune in the coming year.

Emily Ramos says her family has been selling charms in Binondo since 1996.

“My husband started this business 30 years ago. Though sales are low this year, we are grateful that people still buy from us,” she tells us.

Alvin Bongao, a charm shop vendor says sales were better last year.

“I have been working here for 10 years. But it’s still early. I am hopeful that there will be more customers later in the day,” he says

A balloon seller for 15 years now, Ryan Cawili says he hopes he sells out all his wares by the end of the day and that everyone has a prosperous year ahead.

We asked our BBC colleagues to show us how to say “happy new year” in Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese.

For people in China and Chinese communities around the world, the common greeting is 新年快乐 (Xin Nian Kuai Le), which means “Happy New Year”.

Though in Cantonese, the main language in Hong Kong and parts of southern China, people usually say 恭喜發財 (Gong Hei Fat Choy), which means “wishing you prosperity”.

In Vietnamese: Chúc mừng năm mới (happy new year), Chúc năm mới an khang thịnh vượng (wishing you a prosperous new year), Vạn sự như ý (may all your wishes come true), or Cung hỉ phát tài (wishing you prosperity).

In Korean: 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (sae-hae bok ma-ni ba-deu-se-yo), which translates to “please receive a lot of blessings in the new year”.

Thanyarat Doksone
Producer, BBC News Bangkok

The celebrations in Bangkok’s Chinatown this year are subdued as Thailand is still observing a one-year mourning period following the passing of Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother since last October.

The local district office has announced there will not be an official celebration, but the private sector was still able to hold their own festivities.

Even though the street decorations are not in full swing as in the past years, revellers still came out to make a wish at temples and shrines and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Mandarin oranges are a hallmark of Lunar New Year, usually exchanged in pairs among Chinese communities – as even numbers are believed to usher in good luck.

This sweet citrus fruit is favoured, among others, as it symbolises good fortune. The Mandarin word for the fruit, ju, sounds like ji, the word for “lucky”; while its Cantonese pronunciation, gam, is the same as that for “gold”.

The orange hue and round shape of the fruit – the circle is a sign of unity and completeness – also makes it an auspicious symbol.