In China, Draco Malfoy Becomes a Symbol of Fortune for the ‘Year of the Horse’

The unique interpretation stems from the Chinese pronunciation of ‘Malfoy.’ In Mandarin, ‘Malfoy’ is pronounced as ‘Ma Er Fu,’ where ‘Ma’ means horse and ‘Fu’ symbolizes good fortune. Pronounced together, it represents “fortune arriving via the horse.”

Videos circulating on Chinese social media show red greeting banners, or ‘Chunlian,’ being hung in homes, now featuring Draco Malfoy’s image alongside traditional good luck symbols. In a shopping mall in Henan Province, a massive electronic banner displayed Draco Malfoy’s face amid Chinese New Year greetings. On popular social platform Xiaohongshu, a user was seen gifting colleagues Malfoy-themed red envelopes, sparking widespread attention.

The Year of the Horse begins on February 17, replacing the Year of the Snake. This is especially interesting because Draco Malfoy, in Harry Potter, belonged to Slytherin, whose symbol is a snake.

Harry Potter’s popularity in China is well-established. Even before the last book was published, nearly one million copies had been sold in China. In 2020, remastered versions of the first Harry Potter films were re-released in Chinese cinemas to tremendous reception.

Actor Tom Felton, who portrayed Draco, reacted to this unusual cultural connection, posting a photo on Instagram showing Draco Malfoy’s banner in a Chinese mall. Videos on Douyin, the Chinese TikTok, show people placing Malfoy-themed greeting papers on their fridges, quickly gaining thousands of likes.

Capitalizing on this popularity, online marketplaces are selling Malfoy-themed New Year posters. One buyer commented, “Fortune has arrived.”