‘Ugly but cute’ stuffed toy in China based on 2000-year-old bronze horse artefact from East Han dynasty a hit with consumers
- Designated as China’s national tourism symbol by travel authorities over 20 years ago, the bronze artefact is well known the world over
- Described as ‘ugly but lovely’ and ‘stress-relieving’, the stuffed toy has sold out both online and offline and people have had to order 25 days in advance
A stuffed toy based on a famous 2000-year-old bronze horse artefact has become China’s most sought-after tourism souvenir in recent weeks because of its “ugly but cute” appearance.
The toy comes in two styles and priced at 99 yuan (US$15) and 50 yuan. One features a green horse with a crooked mouth and open forelegs standing on a chubby green bird with one of its hind legs. Another style is almost the exact stuffed toy version of China’s national treasure, the Bronze Galloping Horse sculpture.
It went on sale in mid-June and was produced by the Gansu Provincial Museum in northern China’s Gansu province.
Designated as China’s national tourism symbol over 20 years ago, the artefact, also known as Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow, has now become a household name as customers flock to buy the fluffy horse and bird toy.
Described as “ugly but lovely” and “stress-relieving”, the toy has sold out both online and in stores with people having to pre-order 25 days in advance, according to the museum’s official WeChat account.