Mei Zhu

Basic Profile

Mei Zhu (Chinese: 妹珠), affectionately called “Mei Zhu” (妹猪) — meaning “precious as a pearl” — is a female giant panda born on June 18, 2024, at 1:30 AM at Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park. She is the first offspring of Meng Meng (萌萌), the eldest of the world’s only surviving giant panda triplets “Meng Shuai Ku” (萌帅酷). She is the only surviving 2024 cub of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

Birth & Growth Milestones

Date	Age	Milestone	Measurements
Jun 18, 2024 1:30 AM	Birth	Born at Guangzhou Chimelong	178g
Sep 13, 2024	~3 months	IP Image Unveiling — Chimelong held a ceremony to unveil Mei Zhu’s official character image
Sep 26, 2024	100 days	100-Day Banquet (百日宴) — Traditional celebration	5,650g, 13 deciduous teeth
Dec 18, 2024	6 months	Half-Year Birthday	10.88kg, body length 65cm, tail 9.5cm, 24 neat milk teeth
Mar 11, 2025	~9 months	New Home — Moved into renovated enclosure with Cantonese moving-in ceremony
Jun 18, 2025	1 year	First Birthday — “Household Registration” & “Miracle Continuation” awards	27.1kg

Exhibition

From birth, Mei Zhu has been displayed in front of visitors — one of the youngest pandas put on public exhibition. She grew up under the constantly watchful eyes of thousands of visitors, a level of exposure rare for a panda cub.

Names

• 妹珠 (Mei Zhu): Official name, meaning “younger sister pearl,” symbolizing being cherished “as precious as a pearl” (如珠如宝). The difference between her official name and nickname is just one character.
• 妹猪 (Mei Zhu): Affectionate Cantonese nickname, using the character 猪 (pig) as a term of endearment common in Cantonese culture. Fans describe her as always smelling “fragrant,” jokingly calling it the “milk pig” scent.

---

Family & Lineage

The Legend of the Triplets

Mei Zhu carries an extraordinary heritage: her mother Meng Meng is one-third of “Meng Shuai Ku” (萌帅酷) — the only surviving giant panda triplets in the world, born at Chimelong in 2014. This makes Mei Zhu the first “second-generation” descendant of the triplets, a milestone celebrated as a “miracle continuation.”

Parents

Father: Jia He (家和)

• Male panda at Chimelong, affectionately called the “live-in son-in-law” (上门女婿)
• Played a key role in producing the first descendant of the triplets
• Passed away on May 9, 2026 from heart failure caused by pulmonary chlamydia

Mother: Meng Meng (萌萌)

• Eldest of the world’s only surviving giant panda triplets (萌帅酷)
• Born July 29, 2014, at Chimelong
• Passed on her vitality genes to Mei Zhu

Grandparents

• Bai Yang (白杨): Paternal grandfather
• Jin Xin (锦心): Paternal grandmother
• Lin Lin (琳琳): Maternal grandfather
• Ju Xiao (菊笑): Maternal grandmother — mother of the triplets

Extended Family

• Xiao Xin (小馨): Cousin (表姐)
• Uncles: Shuai Shuai (帅帅) and Ku Ku (酷酷) — her mother’s triplet siblings. Shuai Shuai is her “big uncle” and Ku Ku is known for loving to ride toy trains

---

Life at Chimelong

First Year — From Mouse-Sized Cub to Public Star

Mei Zhu spent her first year under the dedicated care of Chimelong’s keeper team, who monitored her growth milestones closely. From a 178-gram newborn — about the size of a mouse — she grew into a healthy 27.1 kg yearling. Unlike most panda cubs who are kept in back-of-house nurseries, Mei Zhu was exhibited from birth, growing up literally under the watchful eyes of thousands of visitors.

From a very young age, she showed an independent streak, often choosing to sleep on the floor rather than in her bed. She was described as the most “wild” (最有野性) panda at Chimelong — fierce and quick to bite, leaving bruises on several keepers’ bodies. This serves as a reminder that even the cutest pandas are wild animals and should be treated with respect and caution.

Keeper Chen Liangjin — The “Daliang Grandpa”

Chen Liangjin (陈良金), affectionately called “Daliang Grandpa” (大良外公) by fans, is Mei Zhu’s primary keeper and a social media celebrity in his own right.

Chen joined Chimelong in 2009, starting in the koala section before being assigned to giant panda care in 2010 — the year Guangzhou hosted the Asian Games. He originally studied property management (物业管理) before switching to animal husbandry and veterinary medicine (畜牧兽医). He has now spent 17 years at Chimelong, with 15 of those dedicated to pandas.

He personally raised the panda triplets “Meng Shuai Ku” from birth, especially the eldest sister Meng Meng (Mei Zhu’s mother). This is why he is called “Daliang Grandpa” — because he raised Meng Meng like a daughter, making Mei Zhu his “granddaughter.”

From these heartwarming daily interactions — Mei Zhu touching his face, playing with him, responding to his calls — Chen became an internet sensation. His livestreams attract thousands of “panda fans” (猫粉) who tune in daily to watch Mei Zhu’s activities. Initially an introvert (“i人”), Chen transformed through his love for pandas into someone comfortable livestreaming, using the platform to educate the public about panda behavior and conservation.

When asked about his newfound fame, Chen says he feels a greater responsibility. He uses humor to answer visitors’ questions — for example, telling a young girl that male pandas have larger eye patches and females have smaller ones.

New Home — Cantonese Moving-In Ceremony (March 11, 2025)

On March 11, 2025, when she was nearly 9 months old, Mei Zhu officially moved into a newly renovated enclosure. In Cantonese tradition, a “moving-in ceremony” (入伙仪式) marks the beginning of a new life. Chimelong invited a traditional lion dance troupe to perform “dotting the eyes” (点睛), “plucking greens” (采青), and “spreading blessings” (吐福) ceremonies. Panda fans in the crowd recognized “Daliang Grandpa” and rushed to take photos with him.

First Birthday — “Household Registration” & National Treasure Tour Guide (June 18, 2025)

Chimelong held an elaborate first birthday celebration for Mei Zhu:

• “Household Registration” Award: She received a symbolic “户口本” (household registration booklet) engraved with her official name
• “Zhua Zhou” (抓周) Ceremony: In the traditional Chinese first-year ritual, Mei Zhu chose the “carrot key” (胡萝卜钥匙) from an array of symbolic items
• “Miracle Continuation Award”: Recognized as the first descendant of the world’s only surviving panda triplets
• “National Treasure Tour Guide” (国宝导游): Appointed to a conservation education role, sharing panda knowledge through livestreams and short videos
• Weight: 27.1 kg, confirming healthy development

National Treasure Tour Guide

From her first birthday onward, Mei Zhu began participating in panda conservation education:

• Live streaming and short videos sharing panda behavior knowledge
• “National Treasure Tour Guide” (国宝导游) role
• Helping the public understand panda daily life and conservation needs

Chen Liangjin also hosts livestreams from Mei Zhu’s enclosure, answering questions from viewers about panda behavior, diet, and daily routines — building a bridge between the public and panda conservation.

Mid-Autumn Festival (October 6, 2025)

Keepers prepared special wowotou (窝窝头) mooncakes made from bamboo powder, rice flour, corn flour, soybean powder, and eggs — introducing Mei Zhu to traditional Chinese festival customs.

Animal Games Gymnastics

Mei Zhu participated in Chimelong’s animal games, taking on the gymnastics event. She inherited her mother Meng Meng’s energetic genes, demonstrating flexibility and coordination in her routines.

---

Personality & Character

Mei Zhu is known as the “Little Chili” (小辣椒) of Chimelong — the most mischievous cub among her generation, even more so than her mother Meng Meng and uncles Shuai Shuai and Ku Ku were at her age.

• Trailblazer: She was the first among Chimelong’s pandas to bite a keeper, the first to sleep in a tree, and the first to learn how to climb through windows
• Clingy & Affectionate: Despite her fierce reputation, she loves to hug keepers’ legs (抱腿) and is very黏人 (clingy)
• Independent: Often chose to sleep on the floor rather than in her bed
• Wild Spirit: Described by keepers as the most “wild” (最有野性) panda at Chimelong — fiercely protective and quick to bite
• Energetic: Inherited her mother Meng Meng’s vitality genes
• Curious: Enthusiastically explores enrichment items and new spaces
• Athletic: Shows natural flexibility and coordination, excelling in gymnastics-style movements

The “Fake Sleep” Trick

When Mei Zhu and Meng Meng sleep together, both mother and daughter wait for the other to fall asleep first so they can sneak out to the outdoor enclosure. Mei Zhu has been caught multiple times lifting her head to peek at Meng Meng, then instantly dropping her head to fake sleep when she sees Meng Meng’s eyes open. When Meng Meng finally falls asleep, Mei Zhu crawls stealthily toward the door — only to collapse into fake sleep the moment she’s discovered. This adorable game of cat-and-mouse has become a fan favorite.

⚠️ Warning: While incredibly cute, Mei Zhu is a wild animal. Keepers bear visible bruises from her bites, reminding everyone to maintain a respectful distance and never treat pandas as pets.

---

Timeline of Notable Events

2024

• June 18 1:30 AM: Born at Guangzhou Chimelong, weighing 178 grams
• September 13: IP image (IP形象) unveiling ceremony held by Chimelong
• September 26: 100-day banquet (百日宴) — weight 5,650g, 13 deciduous teeth grown
• December 18: Half-year birthday — weight 10.88kg, body length 65cm, tail length 9.5cm, 24 neat milk teeth

2025

• March 11: Moved into renovated enclosure with traditional Cantonese “moving-in ceremony” (入伙仪式) featuring lion dance
• June 18: First birthday celebration — received “户口本,” chose carrot key in zhua zhou ceremony, weight 27.1kg; appointed “National Treasure Tour Guide” for conservation education
• August: Participated in animal games gymnastics event
• October 6: Mid-autumn festival celebration with special wowotou mooncakes

---

Conservation Significance

First Descendant of the Triplets

Mei Zhu represents a historic milestone in giant panda conservation:

• Her mother is the eldest of the only surviving giant panda triplets in the world
• She is the first “Meng Shuai Ku” descendant to be born
• Her birth was celebrated as proof that the triplets’ genetic line can successfully continue

Part of a Thriving Population

Chimelong has established one of South China’s largest ex-situ giant panda populations:

• 16 giant pandas housed at the facility
• Multiple generations: the original triplets, their first-generation offspring (like Mei Zhu), and other second-generation pandas
• 8 successful births totaling 11 cubs as of 2025

Public Education Role

Through her “National Treasure Tour Guide” activities, Mei Zhu helps:

• Educate the public about panda behavior and daily life
• Promote conservation awareness through social media
• Inspire younger generations to care about wildlife protection

---

Sources & Further Reading

• Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park official announcements (2024-2025)
• Media coverage of Mei Zhu’s first birthday (Southern Metropolis Daily, Guangzhou Daily)
• Chimelong panda conservation program records
• Social media documentation from Chimelong’s official channels