Starting in 2021, Notre Dame Beijing presented a series of Chinese Zodiac ink paintings to celebrate the Lunar New Year, bringing traditional Chinese art into dialogue with the University’s global community and partners. For 2026, the Year of the Horse, Notre Dame Global launched an open call for artwork submissions. We are happy to announce that the selected work is Heavenly Horse, created by Yien (Ian) Tan, a 14-year-old aspiring painter.
Yien began his systematic study of Chinese painting in early 2024, attending weekly painting lessons. He shared that he feels a personal connection to this zodiac sign: “Several members of my family were born in the Year of the Horse. This sense of closeness inspired me to create a work centered on the horse as a symbol of hope, strength, and forward movement.”
In conceptualizing Heavenly Horse, Yien drew inspiration from a wide range of sources. The image of the white horse in the New Testament’s Book of Revelation first came to mind, which he associated with justice, goodness, and hope. He envisioned a horse standing tall, wings outstretched, conveying purity, dignity, and quiet strength. At the same time, he hoped to use rich, vibrant colors to express his blessings for family and friends.
Beginning in September 2025, Yien studied classical Chinese painting through intensive practice. He spent two months copying line drawings and colored versions of Five Drunken Princes Returning on Horseback from the Tang Dynasty, gradually mastering the proportions and structure of the horse’s body. In October, he studied One Hundred Horses, learning about the many postures, forms, bridles, and saddles depicted in traditional Chinese art. To incorporate wings into the composition, he also researched illustrated collections on Angels, ultimately selecting a form that best complemented the spirited posture of a rising horse.
By November, Yien moved into independent creation. Bringing together what he had learned, he added wings to the horse, selected saddle patterns, and introduced Chinese ancient Dunhuang-Art-inspired colors to enrich the visual language of the piece. To complete the work, he also carved a personal seal featuring his English name, an intentional and creative departure from the tradition of using only Chinese characters in seals.
Yien explained his painting: “In Heavenly Horse, each detail carries symbolic meaning. The gentle yet expressive eyes represent care and guidance; the subtle smile reflects optimism and joy; the upright stance suggests growth through effort; and the golden wings symbolize freedom and the brightness of youth. The central figure–a young horse not yet fully grown–faces the future with courage and determination.” Through his artwork, Yien offers his wishes to the Notre Dame community for the Year of the Horse: “I hope everyone may move forward with confidence, resilience, and hope, and that the year ahead may be as vivid and full of life as the colors in the painting.”
A Note from Yien’s Father
Yien’s father, Qin Tan, also shared reflections on his son’s artistic journey:
“From a young age, Yien, his younger brother, and our family have read the Bible together, explored masterpieces of art, and visited museums. About a year and a half ago, he began a systematic study of Chinese calligraphy and painting.
Throughout the creative process, Yien’s dedication to conception, painting, seal carving, mounting, and articulating his ideas, along with our family’s ongoing discussions about culture and meaning, became a deeply memorable experience. Delivering the artwork to Notre Dame Beijing in person and receiving such warm encouragement was an invaluable educational and life experience for him.
As a parent working in art education and cross-cultural education in China, especially in dialogue between Christian art and Chinese tradition, I am sincerely grateful to Notre Dame Global for this Chinese Zodiac ink painting series. It offers meaningful encouragement to young aspiring painters and brings Chinese traditional art to the Notre Dame community to diversify the campus culture.
Wishing all faculty, staff, and students at the University of Notre Dame a New Year filled with grace and strength.”
Past Featured Zodiac Paintings
- 2025 Year of the Snake
- 2024 Year of the Dragon
- 2023 Year of the Rabbit
- 2022 Year of the Tiger
- 2021 Year of the Ox
Originally published by at beijing.nd.edu on February 04, 2026.