Note 19 February 2026 is the 3rd lunar day of 1st lunar month in Year of the Horse.

Have you had your fortune divined this year? Well today is the third lunar day and it’s cutomary to consult the heavens. But what does a dog, a mouse, a red mouth, a wedding and staying in have to do with the third lunar day of the Spring festival? Perplexed? I’ve always been intrigued with the symbolism of the colour Red, so in 2021 I pontificated what happens when Valentine’s Day and the third lunar day of the month coincided; also known as ‘Red Scarlet day’!

CULTURAL CUSTOM - DIVINATION

The Chinese Lunar New Year is a 15 day long celebration, with each day marking a specific custom. This year (2026) 19 Feb, is the third lunar day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Interesting today falls on a Wood Rat day, that’s the first pillar in the 60 year calendar, a kin to a beginnings and refreshing. In times past any Wood Rat day was seen as an auspicious day to look to the Heaven’s and consider the road ahead. It’s deemed rather fitting that this omen coincides with third lunar day when it’s customary to get your fortune assessed for the year ahead. Be it divining Yarrow sticks, Chinese Bazi or iChing - knowing what’s ahead in a fast and furious Fire Horse year is rather prudent given the second correlation to Fire on this day.

CULTURAL CUSTOM - ENTERTAINING

Back in 2021, the third day of the Lunar New Year fells on 14th February - aka Valentine’s Day. I pontificated whether an old tradition may have unknowingly been revived as CNY celebrations were hit by the on-again off-again lockdowns – so folks may have found themselves confined indoors. It was that very ‘confinement’, that mirrored a timely custom of not stirring from one's home on the third day of the Lunar New Year and refraining from entertaining guests! However there is a caveat, listing graves and ancestor veneration is permitted. Visiting the dead outranking visiting the living; with spirits lingering typically trading was halted till souls returned to spirit world.

King of medicine Qing Dynasty, via public domain

Zhurong god of fire, rides dragon via Wiki commons, public Domain.

The roots of the custom begins with a colour - Red. It’s no surprise the fiery colour is associated with Fire —the overarching element for the next twenty years - and this year 2026. The name given to the third lunar day is 'Scarlet Dog Day. Also known by other names, such as 'Chikou' (Red mouth) or 'Chigou's (Red dog). But the term Red Dog is actually an inference to the moniker for the God of Blazing Wrath i.e God of Anger or God of Fire, Zhù Róng. Red implying anger and fire — angering said Fire God, could unleash his wrath – folklore notes the Zhù Róng helped separate Heaven and Earth and set up Universal Order when he won the battle with the Water God. Arguably it’s best practice to placate Zhù Róng Zhurong and stay indoors, shunning visitors! The term ‘Red mouth’ is also interesting and presumably refers to the custom of refraining from angry words - having arguments, hence keeping to oneself for fear of offending the God of Anger. To the Feng Shui fraternity, the flying star #3 correlates to arguments, perhaps another correlation to anger? In 2024 the AFS #3 governed. This year West holds the #3 star. In some literature, the God of Fire is Red bearded and depicted with three eyes and rides a pair of dragons. Whatever you do on the third Lunar day — be mindful of heated exchanges! Take note. if there’s bickering you’ll likely have sparks fly in the west sector of your home this yera - or where the #3 is permanently located in your dwelling. Side note; China's first Mars rover was named Zhurong; Mars is called the fire planet in Chinese metaphysics.

CULTURAL CUSTOM - RATS & RICE

My 2021 Scarlet ponderings, led me to the colour most associated with Valentine’s Day and Red mouth - it wasn’t a stretch to draw parallels! Which brought me to the night of the third day known also as Rat/Mice Wedding Day, when mice mate – a once off annual event it would seem! Or also called the Day of the Rat when food (rice and salt) are left out specifically to appease Rats in the year ahead!!! This year the third day falls on a Rat day! In 2021, the nocturnal pursuits of man and mouse aligned on the 14 February. This year 2026 is a Horse year but Hallmark day (my name for Valentine’s day) doesn’t coincide. Then again, if make-up fornication is your jam, enjoy the nocturnal pursuits as Horse and Rat are both Romance signs and will definitely clash throughout 2026, as they’re opposition signs. Surely it’s better than finding yourself in the Dog house on Scarlet Dog Day!

Taoist celebrates the birthday of the Sun deity -Sun Simiao, a Chinese physician and writer oft titled as China's King of Medicine, writing the Chinese Hippocratic Oath.

Happy Red Dog Day.