Why Chinese museums are betting on horses

With its dark, beady eyes, delightfully dorky expression, and wild mane of hair flying in the wind, a little horse is sprinting into the spotlight. As the Chinese Year of the Horse arrives, a culturally creative product named Ma Biaobiao from the Shandong Art Museum has become a smash hit.

Dubbed the "scruffy little horse" by amused netizens, Ma Biaobiao's creation draws inspiration from the galloping horse in Qi Baishi's ink painting Such A Thousand Miles. The renowned artist is celebrated for his depictions of animals. The horse under his brush is vivid, dynamic, and features a flowing mane and tail, as if ready to leap off the paper.