Liuzhou Holds Pre-Birthday Celebration for Giant Panda Ming Bang’s 18th Birthday

On the morning of December 22, Liuzhou Zoo hosted a lively pre-birthday celebration for its “star” panda, Ming Bang, who was about to turn 18. Fans from Liuzhou, other parts of China, and even Japan gathered early at the panda exhibit to join in the celebration.

“There’s apples, guava, carrots…” Around 9 a.m., zookeepers set up a beautifully decorated fruit cake outside the panda enclosure and called for Ming Bang to come out and enjoy it. Soon, Ming Bang appeared, walking out in its signature “pigeon-toed” gait, swaying its head as it approached. However, instead of going straight to the cake, it first grabbed some bamboo nearby and began munching, seemingly indicating that it needed an appetizer before the main dish.

Liuzhou Holds Pre Birthday Celebration For Giant Panda Ming Bang’s 18th Birthday 2

Ming Bang then moved toward the fruit cake placed in the middle of the grass, sniffing it as it circled around. After a quick inspection, it sat down to start eating. It seemed that Ming Bang had a sense of “ritual,” as it turned its head towards the “audience,” giving them a chance to snap photos of its face, much to the delight of the fans. “Such a good panda, not wasting anything!” Fans were impressed when Ming Bang, after dropping some fruit, bent down to pick it up and eat it, showing its meticulousness.

To make the event even more special, several fans had prepared handmade badges, birthday cards, small figurines, stickers, and other cute gifts for Ming Bang, giving them away for free to all visitors. A fan from Guilin, named “Xingxing,” had prepared 50 gifts. She thought it would be enough, but was surprised by the large turnout. By the time Ming Bang appeared, the gifts had already run out, much to her amazement at the fans’ enthusiasm.

Among the crowd were two female fans who received a particularly warm welcome. These were super devoted panda fans from Japan. Chika, from Kyoto, is currently studying in Chengdu, while Akemi, from Osaka, traveled with heavy photography equipment just to attend Ming Bang’s birthday celebration. This was her third time visiting Liuzhou for the occasion.

Liuzhou Holds Pre Birthday Celebration For Giant Panda Ming Bang’s 18th Birthday 1

Ming Bang is a giant panda that returned to China from Japan. Its parents, Mei Mei and Yongming, were both pandas sent to Japan. Akemi vividly remembered the first time she saw Ming Bang at the Wakayama Shirahama Wild Animal Park in 2011. She was immediately charmed by the panda’s clumsy and adorable nature, and since then, she became a loyal fan. To learn more about pandas, she often traveled to China to visit them and celebrate their birthdays. She met Chika this year while both were visiting pandas in China, and they coincidentally arrived together for the event.

On that day, Liuzhou Zoo, in collaboration with Guangxi Automobile Group Co., Ltd. and Liuzhou Wuling New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., held the “Wuling Cute Master Fun Market” event in front of the red panda exhibit. Special panda-themed double-layer cakes were prepared for fans to enjoy. Visitors could participate in a trivia game on-site and receive cake as a reward.

Liuzhou Holds Pre Birthday Celebration For Giant Panda Ming Bang’s 18th Birthday 3

In addition, jointly branded cultural and creative products were launched, including refrigerator magnets, keychains, stickers, and badges. The designs not only featured the two giant pandas but also other star animals from the zoo, such as the black bear “Jiu Wan,” the African lion “Chen Bai,” and the red panda. Local residents and visitors were invited to join the event and receive the cultural products for free by gaining likes on their social media posts.

According to a zoo official, Ming Bang was born on December 23, 2006. To accommodate fans traveling from afar over the weekend, the zoo organized a two-day series of events. On the 23rd, a large birthday cake will be presented to Ming Bang in celebration of its official birthday. Every year, the zoo hosts themed birthday parties for its pandas, aiming to create lasting memories for visitors and encourage greater awareness and love for animals and nature. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from the market sales will go toward supporting the zoo’s animals in the reptile house, helping them stay warm through the winter.