Meet Laoshugan — The So-Ugly-It’s-Cute Doll Taking Over China 😂
China’s Gen Z have found a new way to keep their friends close — by turning them into Laoshugan (literally “rat jerky”) dolls 🐀💞. No, it’s not actual jerky.
China’s Gen Z have found a new way to keep their friends close — by turning them into Laoshugan (literally “rat jerky”) dolls 🐀💞. No, it’s not actual jerky. These are lanky, floppy cloth dolls that look half-dehydrated and oddly adorable at the same time.
Originally nicknamed after a Fujian dried snack that shares its wrinkly look, Laoshugan dolls are made with minimal stuffing and thin limbs that can bend into any pose. People now travel with their “rat jerky friends,” snapping photos of them eating hotpot 🍲, riding trains 🚆, or chilling by scenic lakes 🌄.
The newest trend? Making your best friend into a Laoshugan, then taking “them” on a trip and filming travel vlogs or photos together. The hashtag is now all over RedNote (China’s version of Instagram) — a whole friendship-travel movement that’s equal parts chaotic and wholesome. 💅📸
Customization shops on Taobao and Xiaohongshu are booming — for about 10–20 RMB (under $3), you can upload a full-body pic of your friend and get a mini version printed and stitched. “It’s ugly but healing,” one netizen wrote. “It laughs with me, eats with me, and never complains.” 😂
