CCTV Spring Festival Gala Mascot “Four Horses” Accused of Being an Apocalyptic Omen

The four horses of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala are said to resemble, in image and colour, the horses of the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” (Screenshot from Weibo)

[People News] China Central Television (CCTV) is one of the Chinese Communist Party’s most important and largest propaganda outlets. The CCTV Spring Festival Gala is staged on Lunar New Year’s Eve and runs continuously until the New Year bell rings at midnight, symbolising leading people across the nation in bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new. In traditional Chinese culture, Lunar New Year’s Eve involves eating the reunion dinner, worshipping ancestors, staying up through the night, and pasting Spring Festival couplets—symbols of reunion, gratitude, blessings, hope, and rebirth, expressing the wish for good fortune and smooth sailing in the coming year.

In ancient times, elders would give red envelopes to children on New Year’s Eve, symbolising the “suppression of evil spirits” and blessing children with safety throughout the year. Inside the red envelopes were coins strung together with colourful cords, and the number of coins was always a lucky number. After receiving the red envelope, children were to place it under their pillow for one night—known as “pressing the year”—symbolising the preservation of good fortune, and it was considered inauspicious to spend the money immediately. The ancients believed in a malevolent force called sui that could harm children; adults placed copper coins by a child’s pillow to “suppress sui.” Because sui is a homophone of “year” (sui), this evolved into “New Year’s money” (yasui qian), carrying the meaning of warding off evil and ensuring children’s safety.

Making dumplings on New Year’s Eve is also an important tradition, symbolising “the turning of the year,” “joyful reunion,” and “attracting wealth and prosperity.” Dumplings are usually eaten at midnight when the old year transitions into the new. Coins or candies may be wrapped inside for fun and good luck. Common fillings include pork, Chinese cabbage, and chives. The dumplings are made in various shapes, often resembling ancient gold ingots, representing abundant wealth.

In addition, from New Year’s Eve until the end of the Lantern Festival, people observe many taboos throughout the entire New Year period. They avoid saying unlucky words or doing inappropriate things, and family members try to set aside everyday conflicts to celebrate the New Year in harmony—symbolising family unity and a better life in the coming year.

This shows that the ancients believed every action and every word on New Year’s Eve carried symbolic meaning and would influence the fortune of the coming year. Although after seizing power, the CCP did its utmost to destroy traditional Chinese culture, New Year’s Eve customs and taboos have nevertheless been passed down orally and preserved.

Recently, however, after CCTV unveiled the design drawings for the 2026 Spring Festival Gala mascot, the “Four Steeds,” it sparked widespread discussion and ridicule on the Chinese internet.

According to CCTV, the four horses are named “Qiqi,” “Jiji,” “Chichi,” and “Chengcheng,” echoing the annual theme “Qiji Galloping Forward, Unstoppable in Momentum.” The creative concept draws on classic images from horse culture across different periods of Chinese history: the dark blue-black “Qiqi” is inspired by the Western Zhou artifact Li Ju Zun; “Jiji” comes from the Han dynasty’s Heavenly Horse and incorporates flying wings; “Chichi” is modeled on the Tang dynasty’s three-colored horse; and “Chengcheng” is based on the Przewalski’s horse.

However, netizens questioned the design, noting its similarity to the four horses ridden by the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” whose horses are traditionally white, red, black, and grey (or pale blue). From colour schemes to details, there are many perceived similarities. The “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” are associated with the meaning of “the coming of the end times,” and comparison images have been widely shared on social media platforms.

The “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” originate from the Book of Revelation in the Bible and, in traditional interpretations, symbolise plague (or conquest), war, famine, and death, and are regarded as omens of the end of the world.

Some netizens also pointed out that “four horses” (si ma) sounds similar to “dead horse” (si ma). Others noted that the Spring Festival Gala slogan “Qiji Chicheng” (Galloping Qiji) reads as “Sacrificing the City and Raising the Flag” when reversed. Still others observed that the layout and angle of the phrase “four horses charging together” in the main visual closely resemble the famous 1989 Tiananmen “Tank Man” photograph.

There are also rumours circulating online of an alleged internal document stating that since the four-horse imagery has already been released publicly and cannot be withdrawn, it is recommended that relevant authorities intervene early to manage public opinion and guide the direction of discussion.

Some netizens angrily accused CCTV of harbouring ulterior motives. For example, an X (formerly Twitter) user named “A Zhong Zheng Zhuan” posted: “The logo implies decline. When viewed upside down, it looks like the character's death.’ Each horse is stepping on a backbone, leaving no chance to turn over. Four horses stacked together become ‘four stacked horses,’ a homophone for ‘dead parents.’ The four mascots ‘Qiji Chicheng,’ when read backwards, become ‘Sacrificing the City and Raising the Flag.’ They are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, hinting at the aftermath of an apocalyptic explosion and the Qing army entering the passes, and also pointing to famine, death, plague, and war. This is all completely deranged.”

Could it be that the CCP intends to bring calamities such as famine, death, plague, and war into the heartland of China? △