戊午

1978: the year of the Earth Horse (戊午)

In Korean saju, 1978 is the year of 戊午 (Mu-o). The top character, 戊, is yang Earth, and the bottom character, 午, is the Horse. Together they make 1978 the year of the Earth Horse. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 1978 at 13:26 Korea time and runs until February 4, 1979.

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1978 at a glance

Year pair: 戊午 · Mu-o
Element: Earth (yang)
Animal: Horse
Old poetic name: 天上火 · Sky fire
Saju year starts: February 4, 1978 13:26
Ends: February 4, 1979
Age in 2027: turns 49

Born in January or early February 1978?

The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 1978 at 13:26 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 丁巳: you belong to 1977, the year of the Fire Snake.

Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 7 in 1978, after Ipchun. So for birthdays from Ipchun until the day before February 7, saju already says Horse while those sites still say Snake.

The two characters of 戊午

戊Mu · a solid hill of earth — earth that holds things steady
午O · Horse · blazing heat in midsummer

The Earth element of 1978

The top character decides the year’s element, so 1978 is a Earth year. When Earth energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel grounded, patient, and able to hold things together for everyone.

Color: Yellow
Food: Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and whole grains
Direction: Center
Activity: Tidying your room or gardening

This is your birth-year element. In saju, your core element comes from your birth day instead (the day master), and it can be different. A free saju card shows yours.

Month pillars of the 1978 saju year

In saju, each month also has a pair, and it starts on a solar term, not on the 1st. These are the twelve months of 戊午 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.

Month pair	Starts
甲寅Gap-in	February 4
乙卯Eul-myo	March 6
丙辰Byeong-jin	April 5
丁巳Jeong-sa	May 6
戊午Mu-o	June 6
己未Gi-mi	July 7
庚申Gyeong-sin	August 8
辛酉Sin-yu	September 8
壬戌Im-sul	October 9
癸亥Gye-hae	November 8
甲子Gap-ja	December 7
乙丑Eul-chuk	January 6, 1979

The Horse in zodiac compatibility

By the branch tables, the Horse’s closest match is the Goat (six harmony). Its team of three adds the Tiger and Dog. Its opposite sign, the Rat, is a clash pair, read as different rhythms rather than bad luck.

The Horse in 2027

Same element. Same-element years tend to bring more company and more comparison, so allies and rivals both show up.

Ties with 丁未: Six harmony (六合)

2027 outlook for the Horse →

Other Horse years

The Horse comes back every 12 years, but the element on top changes each time:

The exact pair 戊午 returns every 60 years: 1918 and 2038.

Read 戊午 as a day pillar →

How to read this

Your birth year is one pillar out of four. Your birth month, day and hour usually say more about you than the year does. Use this page for facts and fun, then check the full chart.

Born in 1978? See your whole chart

Your year is one pillar. Add your birthday for a free saju card with all four, worked out on your device.

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Questions about 1978

What Chinese zodiac animal is 1978?

1978 is the year of the Horse, and more exactly the Earth Horse (戊午). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 1978 to February 4, 1979.

What element is 1978?

Earth. The top character 戊 is yang Earth, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 午 adds Fire.

I was born in January 1978. What is my sign?

Before Ipchun (February 4, 1978, 13:26 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 丁巳, the Fire Snake of 1977. Check your exact time if you were born that day.

Is my birth-year element my saju element?

Not exactly. The year element describes your birth year. Saju reads your core self from your birth-day character (the day master), which needs your full birth date.