Shanghai: Draco Malfoy, one of the most recognisable villains from the Harry Potter series, has unexpectedly emerged as a Lunar New Year cultural icon across China, with fans embracing the character during the Year of the Horse.
In Mandarin, Malfoy’s name is transliterated as ‘mǎ ěr fú.’ The first character, mǎ, translates to ‘horse,’ while the final character, fú, means ‘fortune’ or ‘blessing,’ a powerful and widely used symbol in Lunar New Year celebrations.
When combined, the name can be loosely interpreted as ‘horse fortune,’ giving the character an unexpectedly auspicious meaning for the year ahead.
This clever wordplay has triggered a wave of online enthusiasm, inspiring memes, fan art, festive decorations, and themed merchandise across Chinese social media platforms.
Images of a young Draco Malfoy, played by British actor Tom Felton, have appeared on red Lunar New Year posters, often depicting him smiling, riding cartoon horses, and displayed on refrigerators, in office spaces, and throughout shopping malls.
The trend appears to have reached Felton himself. The 38-year-old actor, who recently reprised his role in the Broadway production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, reshared on his Instagram story an image showing his face featured on a red banner inside a Chinese shopping mall. The Mandarin text on the banner described him as a ‘magical awakening that attracts abundant wealth.’
The surge in Draco Malfoy-related enthusiasm comes as millions across China prepare for the Lunar New Year, which begins later this month. Since the release of the Chinese editions of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books in 2000, the series has sold approximately 200 million copies in China.
Interest in the franchise continues to grow. Last year, Warner Bros Discovery announced plans to build a Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai, which will be larger than the existing studio tours in London and Tokyo. Described as the ‘first tour of its kind in China,’ the attraction will span 53,000 square metres and is expected to open in 2027.
ALSO READ | Japan deploys troops after record snowfall kills 30
