Crying Horse Plush Toy Goes Viral, Reflects China’s Overworked Workforce
A mis‑sewn horse toy becomes a meme and sales phenomenon amid China’s 996 culture.
On Jan. 28, 2026, a red plush horse designed to celebrate China’s Lunar New Year—marking the Year of the Horse—went viral after a worker accidentally sewed its mouth upside‑down. The "crying horse" has since amassed roughly 100 million Weibo views by Jan. 11, spurred by memes expressing workplace fatigue. Retailer Zhang Huoqing of Yiwu’s Happy Sister reports tens of thousands of daily orders, prompting the factory to add 10 lines. Each toy sells for about 25 yuan (≈$5). The trend captures the 72‑hour, 996 working culture that many Chinese employees endure, earning the horse a symbolic status online. The craze now reaches markets in Africa, the Middle East and East Asia.
Tags
Related Posts
RCB vs CSK: Tim David goes ballistic, equals AB de Villiers record to ...
Batting in the lower middle order at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, David struck eight sixes during his innings. That effort is now the joint second highest number of sixes hit by an RCB batter from No. 5 or lower in an IPL match
US: Gunfire reported near White House, Secret Service launches probe
US: Gunfire reported near White House, Secret Service launches probe
Amid job cuts, Canadian billionaire Kevin O’Leary points out a good thing about AI layoffs
Kevin O Leary, the Canadian billionaire, asserts that artificial intelligence is elevating human creativity, making artists and storytellers more valuable than ever. He highlights how compelling social media content, especially short form videos, now commands significant salaries due to measurable customer acquisition. O Leary believes AI is a powerful productivity tool, fostering new industries and opportunities across all economic sectors