Which day name is used for the sixth day of Chinese New Year?

The sixth day of Chinese New Year is traditionally known as Horse’s Day.

The name comes from a sequence in Chinese folklore about the creation of living beings. Nüwa, the goddess associated with creating the world and humanity, is said to have made or assigned a different creature to each of the first six days of the first lunar month. Horses belong to the sixth day, while people belong to the seventh, Renri or People’s Day.

The customary sequence begins with the chicken on day one, the dog on day two, the pig on day three, the sheep on day four, the cow on day five, and the horse on day six. This is why “Horse’s Day” is a calendar custom, not a reference to the zodiac animal of a particular year.

The traditions connected with these days have differed across China and over time. They are also distinct from the Dragon Boat Festival, Qingming, and the solar-term festival Dongzhi. The sixth day should not be confused with the Year of the Horse, which occurs only once in the twelve-year Chinese zodiac cycle.