17 Feb 2026 · The Met · Ages all-ages
The traditional East Asian lunar calendar marks time through a twelve-year cycle, each year represented by the animals of the Chinese zodiac: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. First associated with the Chinese calendar in the third century BCE and firmly established by the first century CE, these symbolic creatures are believed to embody certain traits that are manifested in the personalities of people born in that animal’s year. February 17, 2026, marks the beginning of the Year of the Horse, a creature symbolizing power, strength, and vitality.