2026 – Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse Chinese Astrology Outlook Musings

Are you ready for an action-packed year? I hope you felt the lift of the bits of progress, methodology and clarity last year’s Yǐ Sì ㇠巳 Wood Serpent year planted, and you’re ready to fasten your seatbelts for a charge forward with the Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse year! It’s annual outlook time. Let’s launch in!

Through a Chinese metaphysical lens, each year is meant to bring us global and personal growth, change and lessons. I know some of you may grumble at the “change” part because it is safe to have everything the same. However, let’s also remember that habituation creates stagnation, and stagnation blocks flow. Without (Qì and Blood) flow, we don’t have access to resources of building and growth (Blood and Qì), and we stop progressing. Consider this in both the world as a dynamic moving ball and your own life journey as a dynamic state of balance. Always “Attune, Align and Allow,” paying attention to the messages and staying open to the opportunities which may lead to the silver linings. Everything happens for you; we just have to listen. What are the Heavens trying to signal, what is the learning, what is the next stage of our purpose? Is your purpose foundational and background support, or big and in the forefront? Put your feet up, get cozy, and let’s take a sip.

This looks to be a year of explosive creativity, implementation of change, movement, inspiration and breakthroughs! The 2026 Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse year begins on the first day of Spring Lì Chūn 立春 on February 4 at 04:02 (UTC+8) in the solar calendar (the true astrological date) and on February 17, 2026 in the Lunar calendar (the more commonly celebrated date). Much like last year, Yǐ Sì ㇠巳 Wood Serpent year, there are few, if any, Kè-Restraining (aka controlling) 克 cycles happening within the pillars of the year’s “birth.” In fact, the only Kè-Restraining 克 that I see is one that will forge and refine a piece of ore into a beautiful jewel (Fire Kè 克 Metal). This is the year in which, after the shedding you did in 2025, you get to leap forward with your creative change and breakthrough. Couple this with a double Fire year, and it translates to rocket launch time! Get your space suit on and dream big as you ride this expansive Fire time!

Yang Fire – Bǐng 丙 – is the call from the Heavenly Stem this year. Bǐng is represented by the Sun. It is the Empress/Emperor above, shining bright, warming our spirits, and being a guiding leadership light. Leaders are often Bǐng 丙 Daymasters (Day Pillar Heavenly Stem). Bǐng 丙 the Sun can flicker here and there, challenging its focus. But Bǐng 丙 also likes routine, rising and setting at roughly the same time every day, thus etiquette, rituals and manners are important to them, establishing a system of respectful connectivity. People with Bǐng 丙 Yang Fire as their core constitutional self, or Rì Yuán-Daymaster 日元, tend to be bright spirits, full of fun, joy and desire to share and connect with others. Bǐng 丙 Yang Fire, when in balance, is our light in the darkness, our desire to see the positives, perhaps to a fault, and our guiding light on our pathway in life. They share stories that dart back and forth and are full of expression. When inspired, Fire in general moves at a rapid pace, faster than even a Wood sign, as its lightning-fast conductivity surges past all other energetics. The key here is when it is inspired, or when in a stressful situation.

This year, Heaven’s descent of Yang Fire – Bǐng 丙 is with the Earthly Branch of Wǔ 午, the Horse, which contains the dominant Xíng 行 Earthly Branch energy of Dīng 丁 – Yin Fire, e.g. man made fire, with a minor dash of Jǐ 己 – Yin Earth, e.g. the soil or ground we walk on. The Earthly Branch affects and influences the Heavenly Stem, so in this case, since we are adding more Fire to the Sun’s warmth, we are adding extra illumination and brightness – and extra charges of Fire’s expansiveness, movement and change, burning through and surging forward at a rapid pace. The last time we had a double Fire year was 60 years ago in 1966. Many countries during this Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse time, have gone through major and rapid transformative changes, both positive and negative with the rapid change. We will likely see this in the coming year. Let’s remember the minor influence of the Jǐ 己 – Yin Earth is part of the Horses’ constitution. It represents groundedness, tolerance and patience. Think about how rapidly a horse can move, yet how much load it can carry and the tolerance it has. Note how the Horse continually has its feet/hooves on the ground, even when propelling forward, only momentarily in flight. This relationship of Fire and Earth also means that the Horse naturally is creative and giving, because Fire creates Earth. Lastly, the Yin Fire in the Horse is one that is much more fickle. Like a flame, it will flicker one way then another, spark and jump around, and have a difficult time sticking to one task or direction. Both Fire signs have tempers that flare easily but settles quickly. Lack of focus or gravitating to the next shiny pebble – is a trait of anyone with Fire in their constitution, especially Yin Fire. Give them a break! Know that if you ask them to clean their room, they may get only part of it done before they are distracted by something else. You may have to encourage them in shifts and adjust with that ever-changing Fire movement. Work with Fire, instead of against them.

Historically, the animal names originated thousands of years later than Bā Zì 八字 Astrology origins, in the Han Dynasty, to help give us a quick way to understand the energy of that astrological character. In the arrangement of the animals, the Horse sits in the South direction and the Season of Summer. We also call this a Cardinal animal, which has great power to change energetics with other astrological relationships. All Cardinal or Direction animals have their own inherent Táo Huā 桃花 “Peach Flower” power, with the ability to easily attract people in their lives. However, this does not mean that all people are good for them. It is a test of both boundaries and self-discipline. For the Horse, it also has a Xíng 刑 – Self-Penalty/Sabotage energy. This is one of impulsiveness. Thus, anyone with a Horse in their chart has a life density lesson of managing their impulsiveness, in addition to choosing quality people to be in their life circle.

Looking at the pillar overall within the context of the world, we will continue to see more entrepreneurship and digital technology launch this year as a whole for the globe. This year’s Fire energy in the Four Pillars analysis of the year is in an excess state. Looking at all Four Pillars is like looking at the coming years’ core constitution, and in this year’s case, it appears to be in an excess state that needs to offload. The first two quarters of the year, rocket launches change with an interaction transforming to additional Fire. Some Kè-Restraining 克 occurs during this time, involving literal battles or of words – emotions, swords and knives may come out. Most people like change at a methodical pace, so surging Fire in their world can be both shocking and met with resistance. Fire, however, burns through anything that stands in its way. So be prepared instead of surprised, and learn to pivot, go with the flow, and elevate your learning to accommodate this change. Don’t get left behind; rather, keep pace with the Fire transformation. It is there for your own rising and transformation as well! Similar to the Fire in the Serpent, the Fire in the Horse is motivated by love, happiness, warmth and compassion. The Horse wants to always reconnect and bring compassion to the table, when in balance and when tempers can be tempered!

The latter half of the year looks to be more settling with Earth and Metal purity rising in the third quarter. Due to this being an excessive Fire year, it needs to offload its energy. Thus, industries that particularly should thrive are Metal and Water ones, such as finance, banking, music, import/export trades, travel and tourism, counselling and, to some extent, teaching. The last quarter of the year will present another surge of rapid change with Wood and Fire present, adding more fuel to transform (or cause tempers to flare) and set us up for 2027. Globally, we may see more actual fires than usual, but also more floods due to the Fēng Shuǐ 风水/風水 1-Water Star arriving – more on that later!

Keeping it simple and getting out of the “weeds,” the year as a Pillar of Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse is the Sun, with a flaming fire beneath it. That’s hot, bright and very illuminating. If you need Fire, this year will help you feel confidence, positivity, love and passion. It will help you launch, surge and create, and give you that motivating force to keep on moving forward, as a free, bright and shining Spirit. If Fire is not your helpful energy, this may mean that you feel easily burnt out; overwhelmed with input, energy and attention; and difficulty in staying focused. Embrace your helpful elements, which may be Earth, Metal or Water, to help cool the Fire and bring you clarity, and return to accessing your intuition.

Let’s look at the bright sides of this double Fire year (pun intended) and when Fire is in balance, with just the right amount:

• It brings illumination to our Shén 神 Spirit, and brings creativity, inspiration and joy to the table.
• It gives us spark, confidence and motive force.
• It ensures we are mindful of etiquette and manners.
• It likes to or is comfortable with leading. It likes to connect, give, share and keep connectivity going. It likes to inspire and be inspired.
• Its creative spark generates ideas, particularly in the areas of digital technology, acting/theatre/film and teaching.
• It brings healthy competitive spirit with play and joy.
• Popular, they easily attract people and make friends that may be helpful.

On the flip side/when not in balance, Fire brings:

• Impulsiveness and erratic behaviour without careful consideration and planning. 
• Inability to remain focused on a task until completion.
• Quick to temper, short and long/big tempers.
• Quick movement, overly fast.
• Self-focussed; Negatively competitive spirit with insecurity; Some say narcissistic.
• Popular, easy to attract people that may not be beneficial.

In last year’s Yǐ Sì ㇠巳 Wood Serpent outlook, I mentioned that we are finally set to launch with Fire, which we haven’t had since 2017. Finally, we get a spark of movement! The year 2024 also marked the beginning of a new Fēng Shuǐ 风水/風水 cycle: the Age (aka Period) of 9, Huǒ-Fire 火 and the Lí Guà 離卦. As a reminder, Fire-Age 9 is an Period of joy, creativity, inspiration for change and metamorphosis. Look at how, in 2025 Yǐ Sì ㇠巳 Wood Serpent year which contains Fire, people moved forward more with positivity, and AI developed in leaps and bounds. The Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse year not only continues this Fire – spreading happy energy across the world – but launches it exponentially. I’m talking explosive – but I will get to that in a moment.

A pause here to refresh your tea! Remember that when reading any Chinese Astrology outlook, it’s important to recall that your personal flow depends on your individual Bā Zì 八字 Astrology Birth Chart. Chinese astrology and your “fate” are determined by your entire chart – year, month, day and time pillars – your “constitutional DNA,” as I like to call it – which should be considered along with the interaction of the current year, your ten-year fate cycle, Fēng Shuǐ 風水 / 风水i cycles, and human influence and relationships. Moreover, keep in mind that the month and day pillars have the most influence on our lives and personality. An annual astrological outlook is very general. Globally, my perspective on the general 2026 Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse trends are based mostly on the Bā Zì 八字 Pillars, I Ching / Yìjīng 易經 and Lǐ Qì Pài Fēng Shuǐ 理气派風水/形氣派风水. 

Continuing on, the Solar start (Spring), which begins at 04:02 (UTC+8) on February 4, 2025, also has the Xuánkōng Fēixīng Fēng Shuǐ 玄空飞星風水/玄空飞星风水 cycle of the 1-Star arriving in the centre. This is the energy of Water. Some look at 1-Water Star as the beginning of a cycle of energy and change, which I agree with. Thus, we begin a year of many new things and ways of living. Water also brings a creative flow, knowing how to work around things, look at things different/unique and intuitively, and easily picks up on the sensory world. Water in Chinese medicine also relates to the constituents of the Brain, the Jīng 精, hormones and mood regulation. Water’s unique views make them natural artists and outside-the-box thinkers. A 1-Water Star year thus brings in creativity and mood changing themes. Couple this with the Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse Year and we have both a cohesiveness of creativity and a clash with the manifestations. With Water dowsing Fire at times, Fire’s flow will get stifled by Water wanting to impose its own presence of flow and change, which is very different from a Fire trajectory. Water flows in waves; Fire likes to expand. Water also stops (Fire’s) expansion. The presence of the 1-Water Star in Xuánkōng Fēixīng Fēng Shuǐ 玄空飞星風水/玄空飞星 风水 also means we may experience more floods in the world. Specific areas are related to the Fēng Shuǐ 風水/风水 map, which I lightly expand on in my Annual Lunisolar Astrology and Fengshui insights live seminar.

To reiterate, if you need Fire this year, you are going to love its embrace; I hope you enjoy this ride of self-illumination and expression. If your personal chart needs other beneficial Wǔ Xíng 五行 other than the most dominant element this year – Fire with a tiny bit of Earth – it may mean that this year will be shaky for you. Time to conserve your energy, take fewer opportunities, and keep to what grounds you. Always take messages as a time to pivot about your world, your Self and your direction. I always encourage a healthy Qigong practice to enhance your Wèi-Defensive Qì bubble, your Jade curtain around you. Regardless of what your helpful elements are, everyone can benefit from finding a place in which they can stand solid in the firestorm that may present this year, whether good or not.

As we near to a close, let’s look at some possible health insights for my fellow Chinese medicine practitioners. Yang and Yin Fire are correlated internally with the Heart and Small Intestine organ and channel systems. In some classical texts, they are also correlated with Pericardium and San Jiao. This may mean that if Yang or Yin Fire is not good for a person, you may see more imbalance in relation to the Shén 神, Heart and Blood vessels and, to a lesser extent, the Small Intestine. As a note to Classical Chinese medicine practitioners, Small Intestine is also classified as Yin Metal in Bā Zì 八字 Astrology, thus the sorting and organizing function makes more sense. Additionally, we may have more mood disturbances with both the amplified Fire and the Water 1-Star coming this year. Water and Fire are a Kè-Restraining 克 relationship, and they both are needed in balance, to regulate our mental health. It is not solely Water or solely Fire. Fire is the brain synapses and spark; Water is the constituents and sensory aspects of the Brain. You need them both, and both need to be in balance.

This Kè-Restraining 克 may mean wavering or shaky mood regulation, with either too much Water from the 1-Water Star, or too much Fire from the Bǐng Wǔ 丙午 Fire Horse year. I would therefore also expect more insomnia and body temperature disequilibrium, as well as mood/mental dysregulation. This likely is a time again to strongly balance Huǒ-Fire 火. Balance Acupuncturists, I’m sure your mainstay will be Magic 4 Heat, which also regulates the Shén 神! 

One of the things I love about Chinese astrology is the gift of understanding people better, and how it develops improved compassion and tolerance. How would you act differently if you knew that your partner’s Rì Yuán-Daymaster 日元 (core constitutional self) is a Bing / Fire Bǐng 丙 / Yang Huǒ Fire 火? How would you interact differently knowing that the Wǔ 午 Horse is a person who drives forward fast when inspired, is impatient most of the time, and easily changes their focus when something new comes along. They naturally lead, even if they don’t want to, due to their bright sprit and impulse to take charge and connect. Fire signs are quick doers that move, share, connect, give and create. My recommendation is to let them have their freedom to move and share, talk, divert, change and create interconnections! Embrace their animation. Their meditation is ever changing and moving their attention to what drives them, inspires them and allows for expression, expansion, creation and transformation.

Lastly, remember that the Day and Month pillars are the two most important pillars respectively of influence in a person’s Birth Chart in relation to personality and destiny. I encourage you to remember that the year of one’s birth has the least impact on someone’s personality and destiny. Keeping this in mind, in the year of the Wǔ 午 Horse, the following are the animals that have interaction with the Horse, and no others:

• The months of February, the Tiger – Yín 寅,and October, the Dog – Xū 戌, are your buddies, creating opportunities, harmony and more Fire!
• The month of July, the Goat – Wèi 未,is your best friend, creating more Fire, harmony and stability.
• If you happen to have both a Serpent – Sì 巳 (May) and a Goat – Wèi 未 (July) Earthly Branch in your chart, you’ll likely have an extra strong Huǒ-Fire 火 in your chart this year. If Huǒ-Fire 火 is one of your favourable Wǔ Xíng 五行, it is likely to be a very strong expansive, transformative and helpful year. If not, be conservative with your choices, say no more, and take extra care to ground your Shén 神.
• The month of June, the Horse month – Wǔ 午,is an annoyance, a friction that is a Self Penalty or Sabotage energy. Be careful of your impulses as they may sabotage you.
• The month of January, the Ox – Chǒu 丑, may be unsmooth as the Horse is distressing to the Ox. Tread slowly and carefully, saying ‘No’ more often.
• For the month of December, the Rat – Zǐ 子 month or day, this year you are in opposition to Wǔ 午 Horse, who is the Chief. This is a major clash of Fire and Water, worse than last year because this is literal Water like rain, dowsing Fire like man-made fire. If you need your Fire out, great, but if you need more Fire, and you are a December month or day of birth, this clash or opposition in general will tend to bring unavoidable big change and deep insight from the smashing of the opposing forces.

As I wrap up and leave you to the last sips of your tea, I’d like you to remember these things. It will be a bright, beautiful, creative and expansive year. It will be full of movement and change, with technology advancing at a rapid pace. The change may feel too big or too fast for some, yet just what others have been waiting for. Impatience and impulsive will also abound, so this year is also the time to practise methodical patience before expansion, with mindfulness of the many darting trajectories throughout the year. Get back on course, find your footing like a Horse does, and this will help you navigate this new way of living with positivity and joy. Remind yourself that Fire does burn out, so find your own den to shelter in and practice good Wei-Qì boundaries to reground and stabilize. Embrace Fire’s love, compassion, joy and warmth, and also its darting focus and animated movement. Know your helpful Wǔ Xíng 五行,your constitutional “Bā Zì 八字 DNA,” and others Bā Zì 八字 to be more compassionate. My philosophy for Bā Zì 八字 Chinese Astrology is that everyone’s purpose in life is to learn to create their best Self, always learning and evolving from the life destiny cards we are given. Pay attention and move forward giving love to yourself and to others. Be part of the continued, passionate and collective expansive change by amplifying the positivity and movement of the Wǔ 午 Horse’s drive to freely expand, interconnect, create and transform into a new world! I wish you ease in discovering your next best self and bringing it forward!

May the Qì flow with you and bestow you with many blessings!