Draco Malfoy

Draco Malfoy, a fictional character from the Harry Potter series portrayed by actor Tom Felton, has unexpectedly gained popularity in China as an unofficial mascot for the Lunar New Year. This is due to the phonetic similarity between the Mandarin transliteration of his name, "mǎ ěr fú," and the Chinese word for "horse" (mǎ), which is significant as the Lunar New Year is associated with zodiac animals. The final character in his name, "fú", also means "fortune" or "blessing", further contributing to his appeal during the festive season. Images of Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy have been featured in Lunar New Year displays, demonstrating the character's surprising cultural relevance and widespread adoption in China.