26 Jan CNY 2026: The Horse as an Emotional Symbol

Cover Picture @Songmont

A More Emotional Reading of the Horse Year

2026 marks the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac: an animal rich in symbolism, often associated with ambition, success, and upward momentum. Among the twelve zodiac animals, the horse is also the one that most closely resembles human character, frequently used to describe who we are and who we aspire to become.

This makes the Horse Year particularly fertile ground for brands: increasingly using the horse as an emotional mirror, projecting values, lifestyles, and personal aspirations onto their CNY storytelling.

Photo of @Documents, @Byredo

Songmont celebrates simple, everyday happiness

Some brands are embracing diverse and emotional interpretations, tailoring the horse’s meaning to resonate with specific communities and lifestyles.

One special example is Songmont, the brand offers a softer interpretation through the idea of “the happy pony within,” a horse that carries no heavy expectations, moves freely, and finds joy in small, ordinary moments. A young girl leading a pony toward the morning light becomes the visual anchor, presenting childhood warmth, nostalgia, and a slower rhythm of life.

Not like others’ framing the Horse Year around achievement, the campaign centers on emotional lightness and inner freedom, reflecting a growing consumer desire to release ambition-driven narratives in favor of emotional comfort and authenticity during the New Year.

Photo of @Songmont

The Cultural Meaning Behind This Shift

This approach reflects a broader change in how Chinese consumers relate to CNY. Rather than seeking loud, uniform festive codes, audiences are increasingly drawn to personal, emotionally grounded interpretations of tradition.

The Horse Year becomes a flexible cultural container, we can hold ideas of freedom in uncertain times, resilience through movement, and connection between people, nature, and ritual.

Key Takeaway for Brands

Instead of one fixed “horse image,” brands are embracing diverse and emotional interpretations, tailoring the horse’s meaning to resonate with specific communities and lifestyles.

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