Harry Potter’s Draco Malfoy becomes mascot for year of the horse in China

Draco Malfoy has become an unlikely lunar new year icon across China as fans embrace the character for the year of the horse. In Mandarin Malfoy’s name is transliterated as “mǎ ěr fú”. The first character means “horse” while the final character, “fú”, means “fortune” or “blessing”.

Put together, the name can be loosely read as “horse fortune”, a symbol used in lunar new year celebrations. The wordplay has prompted memes, fan art, decorations and themed merchandise across Chinese social media. Images of a young Malfoy, played by the English actor Tom Felton, smiling from red lunar new year posters and riding cartoon horses have appeared on refrigerators, in office spaces and in shopping malls.

Felton reposted on his Instagram story a photo of his face from a red banner in a Chinese shopping mall, which bore the Mandarin characters “Magical awakening that attracts abundant wealth.” The surge comes as millions prepare for the lunar new year, which begins later this month.

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