What is the Chinese zodiac and the five elements?
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle in which each year is represented by an animal sign: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. With roots in ancient lunar calendar traditions, the system places certain personality traits under various birth years.

Alongside the animals, Chinese astrology incorporates the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These elements rotate with the zodiac animals, creating a 60-year cycle. Each element is believed to influence one’s traits and destiny.

“The metaphysical theory is that everything on this Earth, including humans, are made up of these five elements and then within these elements, there are yin and yang versions,” the holistic Chinese astrologer Lydia Lee says.

How and when does the fire horse occur?
Once every 60 years, the fire horse is created by pairing the horse with the fire element.

The Chinese zodiac system combines 12 animal signs with the 10 heavenly stems, or 10 symbols that represent the five elements, each in yin and yang forms.

As the animal signs and elements rotate together year by year, every zodiac year is assigned an animal and element. A fire horse year is often described as being fast-moving and high-energy. The last fire horse was in 1966, when China’s Cultural Revolution began, a time of political and social upheaval.

What are the personality traits of the fire horse?
People born in horse years are forthright, strong in reasoning and alert, says Ming Shao, a Melbourne-based feng shui expert. “They are also eloquent … and known for being impatient, wilful [and] heroic individuals,” he says. Adding fire “intensifies” the horse’s characteristics including dynamism, energy, dedication and leadership, according to Shao.