China
Location Information
- Type: Country
- Location: East Asia
- Key Features: Has a national Quidditch team, native habitat of important magical creatures.
Description and History
China is a large country in East Asia, home to both a thriving Muggle population and a distinct wizarding community. While details about its magical governance or potential wizarding schools remain largely unknown from the original chronicles, its presence in the global wizarding world is confirmed through its participation in international events and its unique magical fauna. The Chinese wizarding community is established enough to field a national Quidditch team that competes at the highest level, including the Quidditch World Cup. China is most famous in the wizarding world as the native country of the Chinese Fireball dragon. According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this scarlet dragon, also known as the Liondragon, is notable for its fringe of golden spikes and protuberant eyes. The shells of its crimson and gold-speckled eggs are highly prized for use in Chinese wizardry. The country is also the native land of the Qilin, a rare and profoundly magical beast revered for its ability to perceive a person's inner nature and bow to those who are pure of heart. ( The Secrets of Dumbledore film).
Role in the Story
China is referenced several times in the original series, primarily in the context of Quidditch and magical creatures.
- In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Chinese National Quidditch Team is mentioned as a participant in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup. Ludo Bagman reports that they were defeated by Wales in the run-up to the final.
- A female Chinese Fireball dragon was one of the four dragons imported by Charlie Weasley and his colleagues for the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament. She was faced by the Durmstrang Institute champion, Viktor Krum, who used a Conjunctivitis Curse to get past her and retrieve his golden egg.
- The desirability of the Chinese Fireball is noted in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, when Rubeus Hagrid laments that he couldn't acquire one of their eggs because they are “very tricky to get a hold of.”
Known Areas Within
While no magical settlements or institutions within China are named in the seven primary novels, the supplementary Fantastic Beasts film series identifies a specific location.
- Guilin: This region is identified as the birthplace of the sacred Qilin that plays a central role in the election of the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. ( The Secrets of Dumbledore film)
Behind the Scenes
The role and significance of China in the wizarding world were greatly expanded in the Fantastic Beasts film series. The plot of The Secrets of Dumbledore (film) centers on the birth of a Qilin in China, making the country the origin point for a creature capable of influencing the leadership of the entire global wizarding community. This positions China as a location of immense magical and political importance beyond what was established in the original novels.