Mang Zai

Basic Profile

Mang Zai (Chinese: 莽仔), studbook number 829, is a female giant panda born on September 4, 2011 at Chongqing Zoo. Her mother is Ya Lao Er (娅老二, also known as Ya Ya), a 11-year-old “advanced maternal age” panda who had already given birth twice before, and her father is Ling Ling (灵灵). Her grandparents include Chuan Chuan (川川) and Xin Xing (新星) on her father’s side, and Ha Lan (哈兰) and Ya Ya (娅娅) on her mother’s side.

Mang Zai has an extensive sibling network including Tuan Tuan (团团), Bi Li (比力), You You (佑佑), Le Le (乐乐), Tao Tao (淘淘), Jin Hu (金虎), Mei Ling (美灵), Wei Wei (伟伟), Er Shun (二顺), You You (友友), Si Jia (思嘉), Meng Meng (萌萌), Li Li (丽丽), Ying Hua (瑛华), Ying Mei (瑛美), Hao Hao (好好), Ting Ting (婷婷), Ge Ge (格格), Liang Yue (良月), Hao Qi (好奇), and Ding Ding (丁丁).

Life Journey

Birth and Naming (2011-2012)

Mang Zai was born as one of twin sisters on September 4, 2011. At 11 years old, her mother Ya Lao Er was considered an “advanced maternal age” mother. The first twin was sent to the Ya’an Bifengxia Giant Panda Research Center for hand-rearing, while Mang Zai was raised by her mother with 24-hour keeper monitoring.

As a cub, she was nicknamed “San Shun” (三顺) and later “Dong Hua” (洞花, “Cave Flower”) for her beauty.

On March 25, 2012, Chongqing Zoo and Chongqing Morning Post co-hosted a public naming contest. From 10 candidate names submitted by readers, “Mang Zi” (莽子) received the most votes. A naming ceremony was held at the zoo’s panda hall, and she has been known as Mang Zai (莽仔) ever since.

Motherhood

Mang Zai has been a remarkably successful mother, producing five cubs across three births:

Birth	Date	Offspring	Details
1st	2019-06-23	Xi Xi (喜喜, ♀) + Qing Qing (庆庆, ♀)	Twin daughters
2nd	2021-06-10	Xing Xing (星星, ♂) + Chen Chen (辰辰, ♂)	Twin sons, with mate Jin Ke (津柯) via natural mating on 2021-02-03
3rd	2023-07-06	Mang Cancan (莽灿灿, ♂)	Single son, 191g — heaviest cub ever born at Chongqing Zoo

Her second litter — Xing Xing and Chen Chen — were named after the phrase “Our journey is the sea of stars” (我们的征途是星辰大海), honoring China’s aerospace workers. The names were chosen as a tribute to the country’s space program.

Her third cub Mang Cancan (莽灿灿), born at 191g, set a record for the heaviest newborn panda at Chongqing Zoo — the first single cub born at the zoo in nearly 20 years. The name was chosen through an online poll in January 2024.

Later Years

Mang Zai entered her mid-teens in good health at Chongqing Zoo. On September 4, 2025, she celebrated her 14th birthday with a cake made from bamboo shoots and apples. Following suggestions from netizens, keepers added blush “birthday makeup” (腮红生日妆) to her face for the celebration.

Nicknames and Personality

Mang Zai is known by several nicknames:

• San Shun (三顺) — her original cub name
• Dong Hua (洞花, “Cave Flower”) — a playful reference to her home enclosure

She is described as having a gentle temperament and has become one of Chongqing Zoo’s most beloved pandas. Her consistent breeding success has made her a cornerstone of Chongqing Zoo’s panda conservation program.

Legacy

As a third-generation member of the famous Xin Xing (新星) dynasty at Chongqing Zoo, Mang Zai carries forward the legacy of Chongqing’s most celebrated panda family. Her five cubs, especially the record-breaking Mang Cancan, have brought joy to millions of visitors and secured the next generation of Chongqing’s panda population.