A horse figurine with a distinctive windblown mane at the Shandong Art Museum has recently gone viral, winning over many young people with its free-spirited, unruly look.

The soft-clay figurine, affectionately known as Ma Biaobiao, or the "messy little horse," is a museum gift product inspired by a painting of a galloping horse by renowned Chinese artist Qi Baishi.

Its popularity lies in its mix of deliberately unpolished design, emotional relatability and strong participatory appeal.

What first draws attention is its flowing, highly expressive hairstyle. Some fans say it embodies a sense of being "messy yet free," while others find it strikingly relatable – likening the little horse to themselves rushing to work in the morning without time to wash their hair.

The figurine's mane, made of realistic synthetic hair, offers a high level of interactivity. Each owner can become Ma Biaobiao's personal "hairstylist," reshaping and braiding the mane according to their own aesthetic and enjoying the fun of creative DIY.

Beyond its classic black-and-white look, Ma Biaobiao is also available in a range of colors, offering consumers a stream of fresh options.