Today, a special birthday celebration took place at the panda enclosure of Hangzhou Zoo, drawing in a large crowd. Fans and visitors gathered to celebrate the 5th birthday of the beloved “Hangzhou girl star,” giant panda Xiang Guo, marking her new chapter in life.
“This is Xiang Guo’s second birthday since arriving in Hangzhou. Each year, we make sure to celebrate it grandly, hoping she eats well, sleeps well, and stays healthy,” said Wang Lifen, supervisor of the Giant Panda Pavilion at Hangzhou Zoo (Children’s Park). In addition to a birthday cake, keepers also gifted this “little lady” with a decorative chessboard and a guqin (a traditional Chinese instrument). “Last time, we gave panda Chunsheng calligraphy and painting items for his birthday—hoping they’ll both master ‘martial’ and ‘artistic’ skills.”
By 8 a.m., a line had already formed hundreds of meters outside the panda house. Visitors wore or carried panda-themed accessories—headbands, bags, fans—turning the area into a sea of adorable black and white.
As the enclosure opened, fans at the front dashed in. Outside Xiang Guo’s “boudoir,” cameras—both big and small—were raised to capture her cute birthday moments.
“So adorable!” “Happy Birthday, Guo Guo!” Amid cheers and blessings, the star slowly appeared, waddling in with her round figure—cuteness overload. She looked around curiously, quickly drawn to the cleverly designed “chessboard” treat and plopped down to eat. Soon after, she picked up a “bamboo shoot ice cream” and devoured it with great gusto, bringing the festive mood to its peak.
After munching for a while, the “celebrity” finally noticed the giant five-layer birthday cake carefully prepared by her caretakers. Decorated with lotus leaves, flowers, sunflowers, bamboo leaves, apples, and corn, the cake was full of Hangzhou flavor. The special ice cake featured the words “Happy Birthday Xiang Guo” and a big number “5” on top. Surrounding the cake were her favorite treats—pumpkins, plums, peaches—making it both delicious and ceremonial.
Xiang Guo posed cooperatively next to the cake, occasionally tilting her head and striking cute poses for visitors. Panda Chunsheng was also invited to join the party and happily shared the cake.
Notably, ideas for the cake were gathered from the public in Hangzhou, allowing more Xiang Guo fans to participate in her celebration. Panda caretakers from institutions across China—including the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu Zoo, Shanghai Zoo, Ningbo Zoo, Wenzhou Zoo, and Anji Bamboo Expo Park—also sent in heartfelt video messages to wish her a happy birthday from afar.
On the same day, the zoo’s Variety Hall staged a panda-themed science drama titled “Giant Panda Health Management,” performed by the zoo’s Panda Health Task Force. Through lively scenes, the team demonstrated how they conduct dental checks, limb examinations, blood tests, and weigh-ins—serious yet loving routines in panda care.
“Sichuan is your home, but Hangzhou is your second hometown. May you always be happy by the beautiful West Lake.” Uncle Ma, a loyal panda enthusiast in his 50s, brought a vintage-style “birthday telegram” to pin on the blessing wall. “Telegrams have a nostalgic charm, just like pandas have a long history with Hangzhou. I wanted to send one during a trip to Sichuan but couldn’t—so I brought it here today as a special keepsake.”
“When I was little, my mother brought me to the zoo every birthday. I’ve loved pandas ever since. I remember when we had just gotten electric fans at home, the pandas already had air conditioning,” he said. “All these years later, they’re still the darlings of the zoo and continue to bring us joy.” Since his elderly mother can no longer walk easily, he added, “Today I’ll take lots of photos to show her.”
“I left home in Shaoxing before 6 a.m. just to come celebrate Xiang Guo’s birthday,” said Ms. Shang, a woman born in the 1990s wearing a Xiang Guo badge and beaming with joy. “Seeing her carefree round little face makes it all worth it. Today, she’s the cutest 5-year-old girl in all of Hangzhou.”