Dongguan, January 16 (China News Service)
By Cai Minjie, China News Service

As the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse in 2026 approaches, a batch of trendy toys embodying the Chinese zodiac horse culture are leaping from production workshops in Dongguan, Guangdong, into the view of Chinese consumers—and galloping into overseas markets.

Sealing, pinning, attaching “saddles”… Inside the production workshop of Dongguan Junhui Toys Co., Ltd., dozens of workers are steadily advancing through each assembly process. Cute and charming Year of the Horse mascots gradually take shape. “After receiving the mascot design drafts in late November 2025, we finalized samples and officially started mass production by mid-December,” said Wang Haijun, General Manager of the company. He noted that production involves multiple complex procedures, including material procurement, laser embroidery, silk screening, and heat transfer printing. From production launch to complete shipment, a full product cycle can take 30 to 45 days.

On January 14, staff members in Chashan Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, were making Year of the Horse plush toys. Photo by Cai Minjie, China News Service.

In Chinese culture, the horse holds a unique status as a spiritual totem. Idioms such as “taking the lead” symbolize courage and initiative, “instant success” conveys wishes for smooth achievement, and “ten thousand horses galloping” depicts vigorous vitality and momentum.

Hu Haishan, Assistant General Manager of Dongshi Group Cultural Tourism Company and licensed cultural creative partner for the 2026 Spring Festival Gala mascots “Qiqi,” “Jiji,” “Chichi,” and “Chengcheng,” explained that the series centers on the horse and follows a design philosophy of “capturing the spirit while transforming the form.” The designs extract cultural elements such as the solemn elegance of the Western Zhou Liju Zun and the spirited Tang Dynasty tri-colored horses, then reinterpret them through modern Q-style trendy toy forms and bright color palettes. “We focus on the emotional value sought by young consumers and have simultaneously launched trendy derivative products such as plush bag charms,” Hu said. While preserving traditional patterns and cultural essence, the design team incorporated thoughtful details, including transparent acrylic techniques for vivid three-dimensional eyes and a refined combination of digital printing and embroidery to balance traditional charm with contemporary texture.

On January 14, a Year of the Horse trendy toy-themed pop-up store in Shilong Town, Dongguan City, attracted consumers. As the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse approaches, Dongguan—known as the ‘Capital of Trendy Toys in China’—has entered a peak season for production and sales. Photo by Cai Minjie, China News Service.

These mascots, rich in festive Chinese New Year atmosphere and horse culture heritage, have already begun their journey overseas. Since January this year, the first batch of 10,000 “trendy toy horses” has been launched for international sale through platforms such as TikTok, gaining popularity among consumers in Thailand, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, as well as Europe and the United States.

In response to the fashion-forward preferences of young consumers at home and abroad, the design team has also innovatively developed 14 derivative products, including the “Full Power Horse” plush blind box and the “Instant Prosperity” leather bag charm blind box.

Among them, the plush blind boxes incorporate dynamic interactive features. Taking the “Become a Wealthy Horse” gameplay as an example, consumers simply place the plush horse into a matching device and gently pull it to trigger a mechanism that pops the toy into a red envelope filled with gold coins—a creative highlight that is instantly eye-catching. The products also cleverly integrate playful homophonic phrases such as “instant blessings” and “instant romance,” blending traditional auspicious meanings with youthful expressions.

“In both Eastern and Western cultural contexts, horses symbolize speed, explosive power, and vitality, and are often closely associated with nobility, high spirits, and elegance,” Hu Haishan said. The team also uses short videos to interpret the positive meanings of Chinese horse culture for overseas audiences, allowing the unique charm of the Chinese zodiac to transcend borders.

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