The Chinese Lunar New Year kicks off February 17, ushering in the Year of the Horse — and with it, advice and traditions believed to set the tone for the year ahead.
Each year honors an animal based on the Chinese zodiac. The circle of 12 animals — the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig — measures the cycles of time. Legend has it that a god beckoned all animals to bid him farewell before his departure from Earth and only 12 showed up. The year is also linked to one of the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.
