2026 Chinese Year of the Horse New Year Greeting Card

In Chinese, “da-da” (噠噠) is a classic onomatopoeia used to mimic the rhythmic sound of galloping horse hooves. In this piece, that iconic rhythm is paired with the crisp “pa!” of a Chinese chess piece being placed on the board—juxtaposing motion and stillness, tension and momentum, to signify the symbolic beginning of a new round, a new year.
Inspired by Chinese chess (Xiangqi), this New Year’s greeting card draws from the movement and symbolism of the horse piece. The design blends the auditory rhythm of the phrase “da-da” with the visual form of Chinese characters, crafting a multisensory opening to the year ahead.
The card adopts a custom die-cut form featuring two oversized chess pieces stacked diagonally—echoing the double beat of hoofsteps, the two “da” syllables. This stacked formation evokes the motion of horse steps and sets the tone for a strong, purposeful start. The character “噠” is customized and modified with a horse’s head and hoof integrated into its form, turning the Chinese glyph into both an image and a sound—a tribute to the Year of the Horse.
The main phrase on the card, “噠噠馬聲，開好局” (Galloping rhythm, an auspicious start), encapsulates the central theme—combining the tradition of Chinese New Year blessings with a modern twist on typographic storytelling. While Chinese chess traditionally requires pieces to land on precise intersections, the “da” pieces here are deliberately misaligned—positioned freely on the board’s grid. This deviation implies that the “horse” has left the prescribed path, carving out its own rhythm, forging its own route forward.
This greeting card is not just a seasonal message—it’s a declaration of motion, a visual rhythm, and an invitation to begin boldly.