Cheng Gong

Basic Profile

Cheng Gong (Chinese: 成功), studbook number 522, was a female giant panda born on September 11, 2000 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Her father is Ke Bi (科比, studbook 386) — named by IOC President Samaranch after the Barcelona Olympics mascot — and her mother is Cheng Cheng (成成, studbook 297). She was a cross-night twin with her sister Cheng Ji (成绩), born just after midnight.

Known by the nicknames “Clean Freak Princess” (洁癖公主) for her meticulous personal cleanliness and “Gong Ma” (功麻) by her keepers, Cheng Gong was one of the founding matriarchs of the “Cheng Family” (成家班) lineage at Chengdu Base.

Distinctive Appearance

Cheng Gong was instantly recognizable by several unique physical traits:

• Broken shoulder strap — the black band across her shoulders was disconnected in the middle, unlike most pandas
• “Little wings” on her back — a pair of white hair patches formed a wing-like pattern
• White vertical line on her hind legs — instead of fully black hind legs, she had distinct white hair streaks

These features were passed down to many of her offspring, particularly He Hua and He Ye.

Life Journey

Early Years (2000–2004)

In April 2002, Cheng Gong was sent to Shenzhen Safari Park for exhibition. Later that year, in October 2002, she was lifetime sponsored by the Hong Kong Zhou Kaixuan Foundation and given the name “Tian Tian” (天天). She returned to Chengdu Base on April 16, 2004.

The Cat Incident (2009)

In May 2009, Cheng Gong killed a feral cat that had invaded her enclosure, sparking widespread public discussion. Experts analyzed the incident as territorial defense behavior — a natural instinct despite her captive upbringing. The event inadvertently made her one of the most talked-about pandas in China at the time.

Legacy: 9 Offspring

Cheng Gong is celebrated as one of the most productive and genetically influential females at Chengdu Base, giving birth to 9 offspring across 5 litters:

Year	Offspring	Notes
2008	Gong Zai (功仔, #711)	Son — the inspiration for Kung Fu Panda’s “Po” 🐉
2011	He Qi (和琪, #821) + He Mei (和美, #822)	Twin daughters
2013	He Xing (和兴, #875) + He Sheng (和盛, #876)	Twin sons — He Sheng died in wild training (2016)
2016	He Feng (和风, #1028) + He Yu (和雨, #1029)	Son and daughter — He Yu entered wild training
2020	He Hua (和花, #1237) + He Ye (和叶, #1238)	Twin daughters — He Hua became China’s biggest panda celebrity

Cheng Gong displayed exceptional maternal instincts. In 2013, she attempted to pick up both twin cubs simultaneously despite the physical difficulty. During her 2016 labor — which lasted 14 hours — she still found the strength to lift and comfort each newborn immediately after birth.

Death

On the evening of September 2, 2023, night keepers observed Cheng Gong in good health. On the morning of September 3, she was found dead in her enclosure. Her body was relaxed, surrounded by large amounts of bamboo shell debris, and there were no signs of abnormality in the enclosure.

She was 23 years old at the time of death — equivalent to approximately 70-80 human years. A pathology team from Chengdu’s top hospitals and animal pathologists conducted a full examination to determine the cause. Her death marked the end of an era for the Cheng family lineage.

Cheng Gong’s genetic legacy continues through her 9 offspring and growing number of grandchildren, including her famous granddaughter Ai Jiu (艾玖) — the heaviest newborn in Chengdu Base’s history.