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Draco Malfoy Becomes Unofficial Mascot for China’s Year of the Horse

A lucky Chinese transliteration that pairs horse with fortune has propelled the meme into decorations across social media and shopping centers.

Overview

  • Images of the Harry Potter character are appearing in homes and offices as festive décor, including Spring Festival couplets, posters, and fridge magnets.
  • The Chinese rendering of Malfoy as Ma Er Fu features ma for horse and fu for fortune, making the name feel especially auspicious this year.
  • Merchants on e-commerce platforms such as Taobao are selling themed stickers and magnets to meet rising demand.
  • A shopping centre in Henan displayed large vertical banners featuring Draco Malfoy with messages wishing wealth and good luck, according to photos cited in coverage.
  • Tom Felton acknowledged the craze on Instagram, sharing a mall banner image and noting that Draco has suddenly come to symbolize Lunar New Year in China.