Happy new year!
Chinese new year, of course. In 2026 it falls on 17 February. It is the Year of the Horse.
Specifically, the year of the Fire Horse (there’s an element that goes with the sign).
It is considered inauspicious to marry girls born in a Fire Horse year, especially in Japan, because they’re supposedly headstrong and difficult if not actually dangerous.
The belief had a measurable social effect in Japan in 1966, the most recent Fire Horse year before 2026. Birth rates dropped sharply, as some families tried to avoid having daughters born that year. There were reports of delayed marriages or concern about the marriage prospects of girls born in 1966. Researchers studying Japanese demographics have documented this dip clearly in national statistics.
Japan because of a specific legend.
The superstition seems to have been strongly reinforced by the story of Yaoya Oshichi, a real 17th-century girl in Edo (Tokyo) who became famous in popular literature and theatre. According to the story, Oshichi fell in love with a young man she met while her family was sheltering in a temple after a fire. Wanting to see him again, she set another fire hoping her family would have to return to the temple. She was caught and executed (arson was a capital crime).
Illustration by Grok, pull quotes by ChatGPT. Weee! I’m outsourcing my brain to AI.
p.s. Yes, Jesse Jackson has popped his clogs – new Dead Pool Friday.
Posted: February 17th, 2026 under personal.
Comments: 5
Comments
Comment from durnedyankee
Time: February 17, 2026, 9:01 pm
Did no one tell the Japanese they’re not Chinese?
Okay, okay, a religious holiday, not an ethnic one…
According to the Chinese system Mrs D and I should divorce after 43 years of marriage. I’m a fire rooster and she’s a metal rat. The compatibility between a Metal Rat and a Fire Rooster is generally considered low.
Fortunately we’re Frisbeetarians.
Comment from Uncle AL
Time: February 17, 2026, 9:24 pm
@durnedyankee — Ooh! Thank you! I had forgotten about Harry Harrison’s series of SF stories of the Stainless Steel Rat. Wikipedia characterizes them well:
The Stainless Steel Rat is a fictional character and a series of comic science fiction novels by Harry Harrison. He is a futuristic con man, thief, and criminal mastermind who works for the Special Corps, a crime-fighting organization.
IOW, in the “lovable rogue” genre but in outer space. Now I’ll have to see if any are available for Kindle.
If lunar new year designations reflect death year, Jesse Jackson just missed croaking in the Year of the Horse’s Ass. or Arse.
Comment from durnedyankee
Time: February 17, 2026, 11:58 pm
@Uncle Al – he’ll always be one of those to me 🙂
There are many authors I used to enjoy that haven’t been kindled. In particular, Dean Ing, sigh, perhaps some day.
Comment from peacelovewoodstock
Time: February 18, 2026, 4:22 pm
I will use this occasion to share an excellent essay about keeping chickens and why it’s better than therapy before I forget to. https://x.com/TuckerPoodleMA/status/2024142885730267250?s=20
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: February 18, 2026, 6:50 pm
I’m a rat woman and Uncle B is a tiger man. I went into a Chinese shop to buy us a couple of zodiac coins and the proprietor sucked his teeth and said, “rat woman, tiger man – ver-y difficult!”
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