At Yiwu International Trade City, which is China’s biggest wholesale market, many people fill a small shop looking for a surprisingly popular item before the Lunar New Year.
They want a red soft horse with a sad-looking mouth, a gold bell on its neck and eyes that seem to look away from people.
The toy has gone viral on Chinese social media ahead of the Spring Festival holiday, which this year marks the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac.
The toy, known online as the “crying horse,” was made to be a cheerful decoration. However, a mistake in making it changed its smile into a frown.
“A worker sewed the mouth on upside down by accident,” said Zhang Huoqing, owner of the shop Happy Sister.
Zhang said she offered a refund, but the customer never returned the toy. Later, she saw photos of it circulating online.
