President Xi Jinping Extends Lunar New Year Greetings for Year of the Horse

President Xi Hosts Spring Festival Reception

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted a grand reception in Beijing on January 29, 2014, to extend his Spring Festival greetings, ushering in the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse. The event, held at the Great Hall of the People, saw President Xi convey festive salutations to people across the nation, including compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese. He also expressed gratitude to international friends who have supported China's modern development.

The reception was a significant gathering, attended by over 2,000 people, including senior officials and members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. Premier Li Keqiang also spoke at the event, emphasizing the Spring Festival's role in enhancing the unity of all Chinese people.

The Significance of the Year of the Horse

The Lunar New Year in 2014 officially began on Friday, January 31, marking the start of the Year of the Wooden Horse. This date is determined by the second new moon after the winter solstice, with celebrations traditionally lasting for 15 days, culminating in the Lantern Festival.

In Chinese culture, the Horse is the seventh animal in the 12-year zodiac cycle and is widely regarded as a symbol of:

• Nobility
• Class
• Speed
• Perseverance

People born in the Year of the Horse are often characterized as energetic, independent, sociable, and adventurous. The specific element for 2014 was Wood, making it the Year of the Wooden Horse, which occurs once every 60 years.

Messages of Unity and Progress

President Xi's greetings underscored themes of national unity and collective aspiration. While the reception specifically focused on the upcoming Spring Festival, earlier messages from President Xi around the New Year period also highlighted China's progress and future ambitions. In his New Year address for 2014, delivered around December 31, 2013, and January 1, 2014, he extended wishes to Chinese people of all ethnic groups and friends worldwide, emphasizing the nation's commitment to reform and development.

The Spring Festival remains the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese, embodying values of family reunion and bidding farewell to the old while welcoming the new. The greetings extended by President Xi are a customary practice, reinforcing cultural traditions and national cohesion as the country transitions into a new zodiac year.