Americans are grappling with inflation and the rising cost of living, but across the Pacific, a different set of anxieties is brewing in China. Consumers there are increasingly concerned about deflationary pressures and a broader economic slowdown, painting a stark contrast to the economic narratives dominating headlines in the West.
To gauge the sentiment on the ground, one need only look at the unexpected success of a seemingly simple children’s toy. In Beijing, a plush horse with a downturned mouth—dubbed “the crying horse” by state media—is flying off the shelves. The toy’s origin story, a supposed manufacturing error where a seamstress accidentally sewed the smile upside down, has ironically resonated deeply.
“There’s so much stress in society these days,” a Beijing toy seller, Gao Lan, shared. “The crying horse seems to capture that feeling perfectly, reflecting how people are feeling internally.” This widespread appeal suggests the toy is more than just a novelty; it’s a cultural barometer for a populace navigating economic headwinds and growing uncertainty about the future.
This underlying sense of melancholy is also evident in the rapid rise of a mobile application called “Are You Dead?” (Sileme in Chinese). Launched by Beijing-based startup Moonscape Technologies, the app quickly climbed to the top of Apple’s App Store charts in China in early January. Its core function is to provide a safety net for individuals living alone, offering peace of mind by alerting designated emergency contacts if a user fails to check in daily.
Ian Lü, a co-founder of Moonscape Technologies, explained the app’s genesis. “All of us founders have lived alone in big Chinese cities and understood the need for someone to know if something happened to you,” he told a previous report. “We created the app for users to alert their family or friends.” The service, priced at 8 yuan (approximately $1.15) per month, requires users to press a green button daily; failure to do so for 48 hours triggers an email to their chosen contact.
Despite its apparent demand, the “Are You Dead?” app has faced an abrupt halt to its growth. The Chinese government, seemingly sensitive to the app’s morbid undertones, has taken action. Following criticism from state media regarding its name, the founders initially rebranded it to “Demumu.” However, the app has since been removed from the App Store.
Apple confirmed that China’s cybersecurity watchdog ordered the app’s removal, citing non-compliance with regulations to “adhere to public order and good morals.” In a statement, Apple reiterated its commitment to operating within the legal frameworks of the countries it serves, noting that the app remains available on other platforms.
The demographic shifts in China provide a crucial context for these trends. With an aging population, a growing number of elderly individuals are living alone. Simultaneously, many young people migrating to urban centers for work are delaying marriage and partnership, leading to an increase in single-person households. China’s marriage rate, which stood at 4.3% in 2024, represents a 45-year low. Currently, one in six households in China consists of a single person.
This trend is subtly reflected in the design of public spaces, such as the rising popularity of individual dining cubbies at fast-food chains like McDonald’s. While not a new concept, images of these partitioned seats, offering privacy for solo diners, have recently gone viral on social media. The design is widely interpreted as an acknowledgment of the growing number of people dining alone.
It is within this backdrop of increasing solitude and underlying anxiety that the “crying horse” phenomenon finds its strongest resonance. “There’s a lot of bitterness and a feeling of unfairness,” remarked Xiao Juan, a customer at Gao Lan’s toy store. “If you can’t cry out loud, this horse can cry for you.” The toy, born from a manufacturing quirk, has become an unexpected symbol of shared emotional release in a society grappling with economic uncertainties and profound demographic changes.
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