A Brief Overview of China and "Primordial Spirit Beast Explained" (This Chapter Includes Classical Chinese and a Plain-Language Translation)

Dzou Yen lived from around 305 to 240 BCE, in the state of Qi during the late Warring States period. He founded the Yin-Yang School and was its leading figure.

In China, he was widely believed to have refined the Five Elements and Yin-Yang Theory, though his writings had long since been lost. Sima Qian described his achievements in the Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Mencius and Xun Qing and placed him first among the Jixia Masters.

In China, Dzou Yen was well known among both Fangshi and ordinary people.

In the Western Wizarding World, however, Dzou Yen was famous as an alchemist and potion maker.

Of course, Chinese potions seemed rather strange to Westerners. Since ancient times, they had taken the form of spherical elixirs.

The Weasley Twins had read about these "solid potions" in Interesting Potions. From there, the idea of making powerful prank snacks came naturally.

The Wizarding World already had plenty of prank sweets, such as Blood-Flavored Lollipops, Ton-Tongue Toffee, and Pepper Imps. But to the twins, these had become commonplace, even mediocre. They wanted to make something unusual and powerful.

The Weasley Twins' approach gave Will an idea. When it came to Transfiguration and magic, he did not have to confine himself to books from this part of the world. He could read books from elsewhere and see what knowledge or inspiration they offered.

Chinese books were the obvious choice for Will. The main languages of the Wizarding World were English, Latin, Greek, and Chinese, with Chinese widely used, chiefly in Asia.

Will knew only English and Chinese, including Old English and classical Chinese—the latter limited to literary texts. He would not have to carve out time to learn another language, and China had a complete system of magic. The choice was obvious.