On Lunar New Year’s Eve, “crying horse” toys become popular in China

Ahead of the Chinese Lunar Year of the Horse celebrations, the frowning horse plush toy has become a viral bestseller.

The owner of the Happy Sisters store in the eastern city of Yiwu told Reuters the sad-looking stuffed toy was originally made by mistake after a worker sewed a smile backwards onto the horse.

Zhang Huoqing originally thought he would have to refund customers who bought the toy, but after pictures of the toy began circulating online, the horse began to sell out.

Zhang said the animal’s somber expression resonated with young workers in China.

“A lot of customers like it and they say it makes sense: it fits the spirit of today’s corporate slaves,” Zhang said.

“The Crying Horse really resonates with the reality of modern working people,” she added.

“People joke that a crying horse is what it looks like at work and a laughing horse is what it looks like after get off work.”

According to media reports, Zhang’s factory has significantly increased production to meet demand, including from other countries.

The South China Morning Post quoted a buyer who went by the online name “Tuantuan Mama” as saying: “The pony looks sad and pitiful, just like how I feel at work.

“In the Year of the Horse, with this crying toy, I hope to put aside all the grievances at work and leave only happiness.”

The newspaper said the horse was about 20cm (7.8in) tall and sold for 25 yuan (£2.62). It is all red, which means good luck. It has a golden collar and bell around its neck, and there are gold words “Money Comes Fast” embroidered on its body.

Lou Zhenxian, another store owner in Yiwu, told Reuters she thought the toy was ugly, but “this is exactly the emotional value that today’s young people are looking for.”

She described young people as being like “crying horses” when they go to work and “immediately cheering up” after get off work.

“But in fact, if everyone pursues that kind of emotion, the way of thinking of young people, that would be wrong. I think you should work hard when you work, and you should be happy after work. These should not be two extreme opposites,” she said.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated in February, ushering in the Year of the Horse – one of the 12 recurring animals in the Chinese zodiac.