Ling Yan

Basic Profile

Ling Yan (Chinese: 灵岩), studbook number 1106, is a male giant panda born on August 18, 2017 at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) Wolong Shenshuping Base in Sichuan. His mother is Min Min (闽闽), and his siblings include sister A Jie (阿杰) and brother Man Man (满满).

He was named after Lingyan Mountain (灵岩山) in Dujiangyan, immortalized in Du Fu’s famous couplet: “锦江春色来天地，玉垒浮云变古今.” In 2018, he was selected as one of Dujiangyan City’s four “Image Ambassador Pandas” alongside Qing Cheng (青城), Li Dui (离堆), and Yu Lei (玉垒).

The Nickname That Fits a Dynasty

Ling Yan has accumulated more nicknames than most pandas have fans:

Nickname	Meaning	Origin
胖岩 (Pang Yan)	Fat Rock	His steadily expanding physique
大岩子 (Da Yan Zi)	Big Rock	Alternative to Pang Yan
小黑胖子	Little Black Fatty	Self-explanatory
狂野男熊 (Wild Bear)	Wild Male Bear	His uncontainable energy
土匪岩 (Bandit Rock)	Bandit Rock	Mischievous, takes what he wants
夜店小王子	Nightclub Prince	His dance moves
猪八岩 (Zhu Ba Yan)	Pig Eight Rock	Pigs out on food
岩磨机 (Yan Mo Ji)	Rock Grinder	Never stops moving

Life Journey

Dujiangyan Mascot (2018)

At the 2018 Dujiangyan global naming event, Ling Yan was officially named and received his “panda ID card” as a city mascot. The name “灵岩” — Lingyan Mountain — was chosen to reflect the region’s cultural heritage.

The Luanchuan Chapter (2020–present)

On September 22, 2020, Ling Yan and his companion Mai Mai (迈迈) were transferred to the Luanchuan Bamboo Sea Wildlife Park in Henan Province. The park had spent a full year preparing a 2,464-square-meter panda pavilion for their arrival, set against a 10,000-mu bamboo forest dedicated to ensuring a steady food supply. A team of three keepers underwent six months of specialized training before receiving the pandas.

Internet Superstardom

2023 — The Year Ling Yan Broke the Internet

Ling Yan’s antics began circulating on Chinese social media in 2023, each video more absurd than the last:

• “Singing” in his bath: A video of Ling Yan vocalizing while soaking in his pool went viral
• Ice fishing: He was filmed repeatedly scooping ice blocks out of his pool with his paws, then playing with them
• Nightclub dancing: Caught on camera doing a rhythmic swaying motion that fans dubbed “nightclub dancing”
• Pushing a cart: He commandeered a keeper’s wheeled cart and pushed it around his enclosure

On December 26, 2023, the zoo launched a “See Ling Yan, Get Salt” promotion that triggered a fan rush, with visitors traveling from as far as Chengdu to Luoyang just to see him.

January 31, 2024 — The Banned Broadcast

During a zoo livestream, Ling Yan performed an exaggerated “sexy hip shake” (性感抖臀) that was so provocative the platform’s automated moderation system suspended the stream for 10 minutes. The clip spread like wildfire, cementing his status as the “bad boy” of the panda world.

The 30 Million Yuan Donation

During the 2024 Spring Festival, a Zhengzhou businessman surnamed Li visited Luanchuan specifically to see Ling Yan. Impressed by the panda’s lively personality and the zoo’s ambitions to build a panda breeding base in central China, he donated 30 million yuan (approximately $4.1 million USD) on the spot to support the project. In gratitude, the zoo offered free admission to all Zhengzhou citizens for one month.

April 4, 2024 — Television Debut

Ling Yan appeared as “Spring Messenger No. 1” (春信使者) on Henan TV’s Qingming Festival special “2024 Qingming Wonderful Journey”, showcasing his playful antics to a national television audience.

September 27, 2024 — Tourism Ambassador

On World Tourism Day, Ling Yan was officially appointed Luanchuan Tourism Promotion Ambassador, a role recognizing his outsized impact on drawing visitors to the region.

2025 — National Recognition

His 8th birthday celebration was covered by CCTV News. In November 2025, video of Ling Yan sledding down a snow slope and rolling in the snow captivated audiences nationwide.

On December 17, 2025, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning (毛宁) shared the snow-sledding video on social media with the caption: “Snowflakes fall, pandas roll — a sight only winter can reveal.” The post introduced Ling Yan to an international audience, making him one of the few pandas ever acknowledged by China’s diplomatic corps.