With the Spring Festival drawing near to usher in the Year of the Horse, a Chinese zodiac-themed toy from the Shandong Provincial Art Museum, a clay doll named "Ma Biaobiao," or whimsy pony, has rapidly captured public attention with its unruly hairstyle and endearingly cute expression.
Inspired by a Chinese painting from one of China's most renowned artists Qi Baishi, the toy features minimalist black eyes, a dynamic galloping pose, and a woolen mane designed to look deliberately unkempt.
Owners are encouraged to style the mane themselves, turning each doll into a unique, co-created artwork. This way, consumers become active participants rather than passive buyers.
"The hair is really meant for me. I can style it any way I like, and even when it's messy, it is still adorable. It actually looks quite like myself and reflects my own style. Though not exquisitely dressed at work, I like just being myself, to be free," said visitor Huang Qiuju.
"It is just fun to look at it. Especially the flowing mane that feels so unrestrained," said another visitor Ma Hongwen.
According to Cui Wentao, deputy curator of the Jinan-based museum in east China's Shandong Province, the pony's popularity stems from both its artistic roots and its emotional appeal.
"We Chinese people value the Chinese zodiac of horse as a symbol of vitality and progress. In this design, the horse becomes more playful and cute, with a fluffy mane that can be freely styled. This enhances consumer engagement with gratifying appeal, both emotionally and aesthetically," he said.
Clay pony with unruly hairstyle gets popular as Year of Horse nears
International cruise ships brought more than 8,000 tourists to Shanghai over the past weekend, underscoring the growing momentum of the city's tourism market.
Last Saturday, two cruise ships, the Spectrum of the Seas and Mein Schiff 6, arrived in Shanghai with nearly 6,000 tourists, setting a new single day record for daily inbound arrivals at the city's Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.
Two more ships, the MSC Magnifica and Adora Magic City, arrived the next day, docking alongside Mein Schiff 6. For the first time this year, the terminal received three cruise ships docked simultaneously.
Impressed by China's customs services, tourists shared their feelings after landing.
"The service is very good, very fast. Everything is very quick," said a tourist.
"We're going to Disneyland. It's a cool trip," another tourist expressed her expectations.
During the two-day period, Shanghai port handled more than 20,000 passenger entries and exits, more than half of which were made by international travelers. Over 90 percent of them are benefiting from the visa-free policies.
"[I traveled from] Chengdu to here. I'm here to Beijing and Beijing to the UK," a tourist talked about his schedule, whose destinations in China all covered in the visa-free policies.
"Very good, excellent policy, and anything that reduces the amount of time. We had a week in ten days in China already, then we're gonna come back into the city to do some shopping," another senior visitor said.
Authorities have also introduced measures to improve the visa process.
"To ensure a smooth entry, officials will get on the ships in advance to perform inspections. So, passengers can start their trips as soon as they disembark. While at the airports, we have also provided an online submission system for arrival cards. That will also save their time," said Zhu Xiaoxiang, Deputy Director of Immigration Inspection Division under Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection.
So far this year, Shanghai's customs and immigration agents have processed more than ten million visitors, with 305,000 international passenger trips through cruise terminals, marking a prosperous tourism market.
Over 8,000 cruise passengers touch down in Shanghai, providing major tourism boost
