Mis-stitched stuffed horse toys go viral on Chinese Internet

"Cry-Cry Horse" stuffed toys are displayed at a store in the Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua)

YIWU, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- A stuffed toy horse with a sullen face has gone viral recently on Chinese Internet. In Yiwu, a small commodities hub in east China, orders have soared as factories ramp up production to meet market demand. Dubbed "Cry-Cry Horse," the toy was originally a stitching mistake but unexpectedly touched the hearts of netizens with its pitiful expression which has a soothing effect. At present, nearly 20,000 of such toy horse are ordered every day.

A staff member shows "Cry-Cry Horse" stuffed toys at a store in the Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua)

A plush toy shop owner (L), with three "Cry-Cry Horse" stuffed toys in front of her, talks with a client at the Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua)

A merchant from Finland poses for a selfie with a "Cry-Cry Horse" stuffed toy at the Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua)