Recently, the "Crying Horse" from Yiwu Small Commodities Market has become popular, topping the trending search list. During an interview with market merchant Zhang Huaqing in Yiwu, New Yellow River reporter learned that the company has increased its production lines dedicated to making "Crying Horses" from two to 15, with domestic orders scheduled until March. Since January 11th, customers from South Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other regions have inquired about the availability of this small plush toy. On the morning of the 11th, a customer from South Africa specifically visited Zhang Huaqing's shop to place an order for the "Crying Horse" plush. Zhang Huaqing happily told New Yellow River reporter, "I didn't expect it to be so popular!"

On the left is the "Smile Horse," on the right is the "Crying Horse."
The sudden popularity of the "Crying Horse" originated from a beautiful mistake. Zhang Huaqing's company's worker, while producing the Year of the Horse plush "Smile Horse," accidentally sewed the mouth backwards. The originally upward-curving mouth was sewn into a drooping shape, resulting in a flawed product with a distressed expression. When a Hangzhou netizen posted a photo of the "crying face little horse," it was dubbed the "workplace mouth substitute" and "stress relief artifact" across the internet due to its drooping mouth and stubborn eyes.

Zhang Huaqing happily talked about the viral fame of the "Crying Horse."
Zhang Huaqing said that she never expected the "Crying Horse" to become so popular. She is 46 years old, from Shangrao, Jiangxi, and has been making plush toys in Yiwu for over ten years. The official "Smile Horse" of the "Crying Horse" is a zodiac plush designed and produced by the company for the upcoming Year of the Horse in the lunar calendar. Its original name is "Horse Will Bring Wealth," available in five sizes from 20 centimeters to 50 centimeters. It was launched in mid-October 2025, but sales have remained lukewarm.