The Chinese New Year begins this week, ushering in the Year of the Horse. Across China, streets, shopping districts, and cultural landmarks are being transformed with red lanterns, illuminated zodiac figures, and large-scale decorations celebrating the dynamic image of the horse.
Long associated with speed, resilience, and forward momentum in Chinese culture, the horse appears in everything from contemporary light installations and monumental sculptures to plush mascots and horse-shaped handicrafts, blending modern celebration with enduring tradition.
Here are scenes from Year of the Horse festivities around the country, as selected by Sixth Tone.
A horse installation in Shenyang, Liaoning province, Jan. 15, 2026. VCG
A woman takes photos with a winged horse statue at a shopping mall in Shanghai, Feb. 7, 2026. VCG
At Zhangyuan in Shanghai, Feb. 13, 2026. Wu Huiyuan/Sixth Tone
A light and projection show at Zhangyuan in Shanghai celebrates the Chinese New Year, Feb. 8, 2026. VCG
Top left: A horse-shaped lantern at a park in Yichang, Hubei province, Feb. 11, 2026. Bottom left: A winged-horse lantern at the Laomendong scenic area in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, Jan. 15, 2026. Top right: A horse-shaped lantern at Baotu Spring Park in Jinan, Shandong province, Feb. 12, 2026. Bottom right: Visitors take photos at Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, Jan. 28, 2026. VCG and Wu Huiyuan/Sixth Tone
People take photos in front of a horse installation at a market in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Feb. 12, 2026. VCG
A horse statue at a shopping mall in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, Feb. 3, 2026. VCG
A woman takes photos with a winged horse statue at a park in Kunming, Yunnan province, Feb. 12, 2026. VCG
A horse sculpture made of fallen leaves at Hangzhou South Railway Station, Zhejiang province, Jan. 22, 2026. VCG
People touch a horse statue for good fortune at a temple in Beijing, Feb. 12, 2026. Pedro PARDO/AFP/VCG
Year of the Horse gold ornaments on display at a Lao Miao Jewelry store in Shanghai, Feb. 11, 2026. VCG
(Header image: Women walk past horse decorations on a street in Beijing, Feb. 12, 2026. Pedro PARDO/AFP/VCG)
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