Panda He Hua (Hua Hua): The Star Making Waves in Chengdu

Panda He Hua

He Hua (和花), affectionately known by various nicknames such as Hua Hua, Fatty Hua, and Flower Boss, is a beloved female giant panda born on July 4, 2020, at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. With her distinctive appearance, gentle demeanor, and playful personality, He Hua has captured the hearts of panda enthusiasts worldwide. Her journey from a tiny cub to a social media sensation showcases not only her unique charm but also the dedicated care she receives, making her a shining star in the panda community and a symbol of the importance of panda conservation.

Basic Information

Distinctive Appearance

He Hua is easily recognizable by her unique physical features and high level of adorableness. As a cub, He Hua had white rings around her feet, which became less distinct as she grew, but the white tip on her right foot became more prominent. Her eye patches are shaped like inverted teardrops, initially sharp at the bottom and becoming rounder as she matured. Her snout is pointed, earning her the nickname “Little Fox Flower” from fans. She has longer fur that appeared fluffy in her youth but became more rounded as she grew. He Hua’s shoulder markings are higher up and uneven, resembling either a martial artist’s clasped fists or a girl in prayer.

Growth and Milestones

  • Early Life: He Hua was born alongside her twin sister, He Ye, on July 4, 2020, at the Chengdu Research Base. From an early age, she showed signs of being an active and playful panda.
  • Second Birthday: On July 4, 2022, He Hua celebrated her second birthday at the Chengdu Research Base’s juvenile yard. Her milestone was celebrated with great enthusiasm by her caretakers and fans.
  • Third Birthday and Rising Fame: He Hua turned three on July 4, 2023, with celebrations at the Chengdu Base. That year, she became a viral sensation on various social media platforms. The hashtag “Panda He Hua” trended, often hitting the top of search lists and staying there for extended periods, earning her the title of “Top Panda Star” from netizens.
  • Special Appearances: In July 2023, as Chengdu prepared to host the 31st World University Summer Games, He Hua made a surprise appearance alongside “Grandpa Tan” in the promotional video “New Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains: Vibrant Sichuan.” Her presence delighted viewers and added to her growing fame.
  • Spring Festival Gala: In 2024, He Hua was a special guest at the Spring Festival Gala, further solidifying her status as a panda superstar.
  • Honorary Director: In April 2024, the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism invited He Hua to serve as an honorary director, leveraging her popularity to promote Chengdu’s tourism industry.
  • Fourth Birthday: On July 4th, 2004, panda superstar Meng Lan and her sister He Ye celebrated their 4th birthday at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding with special treats like ice cakes, pumpkins, apples, and bamboo shoots. Nearly a thousand people lined to see her.

Adorable Features

Distinctive Appearance

He Hua’s high level of adorableness and unique physical features make her easy to recognize and love. Compared to other pandas her age, He Hua is slightly smaller, with a round, chubby body that makes her look like a living, breathing ball of fluff. Her head blends seamlessly with her body, giving the impression of having no neck. When she sits, she resembles a perfect triangle, embodying the quintessential “roundness” pandas are famous for. Unlike many other pandas whose white fur tends to have a yellowish tint, He Hua’s fur is pure white, enhancing her visual appeal.

The “Bamboo Theft” Saga

Apart from her distinctive appearance, what truly brought He Hua into the spotlight were a series of viral videos on social media platforms like Douyin. These videos showed He Hua diligently peeling bamboo shoots, only to have them snatched away by her playmate, Run Yue (润月). In these clips, He Hua’s attempts to enjoy her bamboo are repeatedly thwarted by Run Yue, who grabs the shoots as soon as He Hua finishes peeling them. In one particularly endearing video, after several attempts and being foiled each time, He Hua finally gives up and tosses the bamboo shoot to Run Yue in resignation.

This recurring scenario has become a daily occurrence for He Hua, endearing her to countless viewers who sympathize with her plight. However, He Hua eventually had her moment of triumph. In another popular video, she is seen eating an apple peacefully. When her sister He Ye tries to snatch the apple, He Hua lifts her left paw to block He Ye, successfully protecting her treat. This act of defiance, described by fans as “blocking with attitude,” added to her charm and humor, earning her even more admiration and love from the public. The videos quickly went viral, driving a surge of visitors to the Chengdu Panda Base to see He Hua in person.

Gentle and Personable Nature

He Hua’s gentle disposition and her ability to understand Sichuan dialect have made her even more endearing to both her caretakers and visitors. She has a reputation for being mild-mannered, especially when it comes to eating. She often eats slowly, which sometimes leads to her food being taken by more assertive panda peers. Her primary caretaker, Tan Jingtao, goes above and beyond to provide He Hua with extra food and special treats, ensuring she gets the nutrition she needs.

Being a native “Sichuan girl,” He Hua is particularly responsive to the local dialect. For example, she may not react to her name, “Hua Hua,” but will almost always respond to “Guolai,” which means “come here” in Sichuanese, as she associates it with getting food. Tan Jingtao explains, “She knows that hearing ‘Guolai’ means there is food.”

He Hua also enjoys bath time, a trait not all pandas share. While some pandas are reluctant to get cleaned, He Hua willingly sits in a basin, allowing her caretakers to scrub her with a towel. This trait has earned her the nickname “clean panda.”

Playful and Engaging

He Hua is not only gentle but also playful and interactive. She is one of the few pandas over the age of two who still allows close human interaction. Fans often describe her as the most “business-savvy” panda, as she seems to understand human speech and cooperates enthusiastically with visitors taking photos.

He Hua’s playful side is also highlighted by her unique physical trait: her right hind paw is naturally turned outward, which affects her ability to climb trees. This isn’t due to laziness; it’s simply how she is built. Consequently, she runs a bit slower than other pandas, which only adds to her adorable demeanor. In various viral videos, she can be seen chasing birds on the ground with calculated, stealthy movements or holding a bamboo shoot like a bouquet of flowers, covering her face as she slowly enjoys her meal. These behaviors have earned her the affectionate nickname “Hugging Bamboo with a Hidden Face.”

Video Playlist of Panda Hua Hua

Gallery of Panda He Hua

Delve into Panda Tribe