June 1st marked both Children’s Day and the start of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. At the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the base’s “top female celebrity” Hua Hua attracted an overwhelming number of visitors.
On the afternoon of June 1st, reporters at the Chengdu base saw long lines of tourists waiting to see giant panda Hua Hua. Security staff on site reminded visitors that the wait time was within two hours, but seeing Hua Hua also depends on luck—since pandas can choose to return indoors at any time, waiting in line does not guarantee a sighting.
A visitor from Leshan, Sichuan told reporters that she came with her daughter. From the moment they entered the base in the morning, the line to see Hua Hua was already very long. They decided to visit other giant pandas and red pandas first, then returned in the afternoon to see Hua Hua, only to find they still had to queue for over an hour.
Reporters who experienced the wait firsthand on the afternoon of June 1st reported that it took about one hour from joining the queue to actually seeing Hua Hua. Many visitors felt lucky that the weather was overcast and temperatures were stable, which meant Hua Hua stayed outdoors and remained visible to the public.
Because giant pandas prefer peace and quiet, visitors—despite their excitement—spoke in hushed tones when near Hua Hua, whispering to one another as if sharing secrets.
According to the base’s arrangements, the line to see Hua Hua operates on a one-way loop system, with each group limited to a three-minute viewing window.