Chronological updates, talking about horses in the Year of the Horse. From the expectation of "success on horseback" to the courage of "leading the way", from the resilience of "never stopping a horse" to the wisdom of "an old horse knows its way", from the promise of "four horses are hard to catch up with" to the magnificence of "ten thousand horses galloping"... Throughout history, the Chinese language system contains countless idioms with the character "horse", hiding the spiritual totem of the Chinese people. As one of the twelve zodiac animals and the head of the "six animals", what unique meanings does the horse carry? Why is it deeply associated with images such as success and progress? On the eve of the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse in the lunar calendar, Zheng Yan, a researcher at the Cultural Research Institute of Shandong Academy of Social Sciences, was interviewed by "Dongxiwen" on the above issue. The summary of the interview transcript is as follows: Reporter: In the context of traditional Chinese culture, what symbolic meanings does the horse have? Zheng Yan: As one of the twelve zodiac animals, the meaning of the horse goes far beyond the ordinary animal category, becoming a composite cultural symbol that integrates history, philosophy, and spirit. At the cultural and spiritual level, horses are endowed with multiple symbolic meanings. The ancients often associated horses with dragons, creating the sacred image of dragons and horses. In the "Book of Rites: Rites and Fortune", the "Horse Riding on the River" depicts the "Dragon and Horse" as the embodiment of the Yellow River spirit and auspiciousness. The horse is also included in the traditional philosophical system architecture. In the Book of Changes, "Qian is the horse" directly corresponds to the "heaven" and "health" that are from yang to strength, making it a vivid embodiment of the vigorous operation of the heavenly path and the self-improvement of a gentleman. Thus, the image of the horse carries the Chinese people's admiration for qualities such as strength, speed, and spirituality. This symbolic system is deeply in line with the spiritual traits of the Chinese nation: firstly, the strength, speed, and spirit of self-improvement represented by the horse echo the collective character of the Chinese nation in overcoming challenges, persevering, and striving for strength throughout its long history; Secondly, the metaphor between horses and talented individuals, such as "Bo Le Xiang Ma" and "Qian Jin Mai Gu", reflects the political ethics and social ideals of "valuing virtue" and "valuing talent"; Thirdly, the function of horses in commerce and transportation also resonates with the Chinese nation's emphasis on communication and courage to explore. The Chinese nation projects its own understanding and pursuit of the Tao of Heaven and human affairs onto a creature (horse) that combines strength and beauty, forming a unique cultural code. Reporter: Among the "six livestock", the horse ranks first. What core qualities and practical values does it rely on to obtain this position? Zheng Yan: Horses rank first among the "six livestock" due to their practical value and spiritual connotation in ancient society. These factors together constitute an irreplaceable existence in the operation of the country, social life, and even spiritual beliefs. From a strategic and military perspective, horses were a core component of national military power during the era of cold weapons. Its speed and mobility make it a key force in war, directly affecting the military's combat capability, intelligence transmission speed, and territorial control range. Throughout the dynasties, the Ma government has been regarded as a national policy priority. In the field of transportation and information transmission, Ma significantly compresses the distance between space and time. Relying on the postal system, horses ensure the rapid transmission of government orders, efficient transportation between officials and merchants, and timely allocation of materials. In addition to military and transportation functions, horses are also deeply involved in the daily production and life of the people. In early societies, horses were used for farming and consumption, and after domestication, they exhibited significant cooperative abilities and loyalty qualities. These traits make it different from ordinary livestock and regarded as an important partner and spiritual symbol of humanity. Horses are also included in the ritual and belief system, gaining cultural sanctity. There are records in the Book of Rites about horse politics and related sacrificial ceremonies, indicating that horses were integrated into the national ritual system very early on. In summary, the fundamental reason why horses rank first among the "six livestock" is that they possess irreplaceable strategic significance, extensive social practical value, and profound cultural symbolic connotations. Reporter: From idioms such as "horse to success" and "leading the way", to expressions like "spring breeze is proud, horse hooves are fast" in ancient poetry, why is the horse deeply bound to imagery such as "success" and "progress"? Zheng Yan: Language is the "living fossil" of culture. There are a large number of auspicious words in Chinese that use the metaphor of horse to refer to success and progress, and their origins can be explained from historical practice, spiritual projection, and value sustenance. From historical practice, the decisive role of horses in key ancient affairs made them synonymous with "efficiency" and "victory". In military terms, 'the speed of war is paramount', and the charge of a horse often determines the direction of the battle, hence the idiom 'success on horseback'; In the imperial examination career, when scholars were "proud of the spring breeze", they imagined themselves galloping on Chang'an Road, using the galloping state of the horse as a metaphor for the rapid rise of their social class; In daily affairs, "speeding up" expresses an urgent mentality of pursuing timeliness. This kind of binding first stems from the positive associations brought by horses in real social competition, and at a deeper level reflects the enterprising psychology of ancient people (especially the literati class) to integrate personal value realization with horses. On the one hand, horses, as controllable and capable of quickly reaching their goals, have become the perfect symbolic carrier of scholars' life ideals of "cultivating oneself, managing the family, governing the country, and pacifying the world". Whether it is the heroic spirit of Cao Cao's "old steed resting in the haystack" in his old age, or the talent of Li He's "extraordinary horse", both symbolize horses. On the other hand, the classic narrative of "Bole" and "Qianlima" embeds the expectation of talent seeking opportunities and the appreciation of talented individuals into the metaphorical framework of "Xiangma" and "Huma". The deep binding between horses and images such as "success" and "progress" is a collective yearning and literary expression for the idealized state of life - where talented individuals are given opportunities and can fully utilize their talents. Its spiritual projection and value sustenance are constantly confirmed and strengthened through the cultural symbol of "horse". Reporter: Currently, how should we inherit the core connotation of "horse culture" in the innovative zodiac? Zheng Yan: How to achieve creative transformation and innovative development of zodiac culture in contemporary society is a topic worth exploring. In this process, it is important to avoid simplifying the horse into a rigid image that can be replicated, falling into the trap of "formalism" or "commodification", resulting in "seeing only its form without conveying its spirit". The true inheritance should achieve contemporary translation and value reinterpretation of its spiritual core. Firstly, there is narrative transformation and IP development, creating narrative works rich in contemporary values around the spiritual prototype of Ma. For example, developing adventure animations or games based on the theme of "pursuing heavenly horses", reconstructing the imagery of "dragons and horses" from a science fiction perspective, and transforming abstract spirits into resonant emotional experiences through vivid stories. Next is scene reconstruction and experience integration, upgrading the traditional zodiac theme in festivals to an immersive experience activity that integrates lighting art and digital interaction. For example, using technological means to allow tourists to virtually "ride" historical horses, or participate in ancient polo matches with historical figures. Furthermore, by empowering aesthetic sublimation through modern design, the power and beauty of horses, as well as the spirit and form, are transformed into modern design languages such as clothing and home furnishings, creating high-level cultural and creative products that can carry cultural connotations and have independent aesthetic value. At the same time, actively carry out academic and cultural exchanges between countries and regions deeply influenced by zodiac culture, and interpret horse culture in the context of cultural exchange and mutual learning. (Xinhua News Agency) Interviewee Profile: Zheng Yan, a researcher at the Institute of Culture, Shandong Academy of Social Sciences, holds a PhD in Folklore from Beijing Normal University, and is a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge in the UK. She has published more than 10 monographs and over 50 papers in important journals and newspapers at or above the provincial level. She has led and participated in more than 10 projects, and has been appointed as a member of the Expert Group of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Terminology Review Committee, a member of the Folk Literature Professional Committee of the Shandong Folk Literature and Art Association, and a member of the Shandong Youth Propaganda Team.