Celebrations have been taking place for the start of the Year of the Fire Horse with locals and visitors marking the auspicious occasion at Nan Tien Temple in Berkeley. Giant effigies of horses were decorated with red for luck as people hoped for the best for the year ahead.
Huynh Nhu, who was born in the year of the Horse and has family in Wollongong, travelled from Marrickville in Sydney to celebrate the day at Nan Tien. 'Every new year of the Lunar New Year we come here, join with our family, go to the Nan Tien Temple .. it's very famous,' she said. 'They say the horse year is very enthusiastic, powerful ... so I'm very happy. I can make my plans a bit faster and a bit luckier.'
The horse, according to Chinese astrology, is agreeable and confident, but doesn't like being reined in by others. Fit and intelligent, they enjoy exertion and are decisive - but can be impatient and easily swayed.
Madidson Atoui, who travelled from Loftus to attend the Nan Tien celebrations, said she was hoping for a good year ahead. 'We believe that year of the horse will be a really important one for us to shed all the negative energy and bring about prosperity for this year,' she said.
There are five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) and 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, meaning each animal-element grouping appears once every 60 years. According to Justine Poplin from Southern Cross University, this Year of the Fire Horse is historically linked with energy, momentum and breakthrough. Dr Fan Shengyu from the ANU School of Culture, History and Language says the combination signals passion, courage, and a drive for change.
'Each zodiac year reflects a different animal and its personality traits, also how people think about balance and renewal,' Dr Shengyu said. 'The Fire Horse symbolises independence and transformation - but also reminds us that great energy needs wise direction. In other words, always think before you leap.'
