Bao Bao
宝宝
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wolong_base
Bao Bao (宝宝, studbook #897) is a female giant panda born on August 23, 2013 at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washingto...
captive-bred usa overseas
+1
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XIA
Panda archive
Xiao Qi Ji
小奇迹
alive male
Born August 21, 2020
Xiao Qi Ji (小奇迹), studbook #1235, is a male giant panda born on August 21, 2020 at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C. He is the youngest cub of Tian Tian (添添) and Mei Xiang (美香), and was named through a global online vote receiving 135,000 ballots. His name means "Little Miracle" — a fitting tribute as he was born when his mother Mei Xiang was 22 years old, making her the oldest panda to give birth in the United States. He returned to China with his parents in November 2023 and now resides at the Wolong Shenshuping Base.
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This page brings together the core facts, timeline, family graph, media, place journey, and related reading for Xiao Qi Ji.
Profile snapshot
Quick facts
Birth date
August 21, 2020
Birth place
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Current location
Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base
Status
Alive
Studbook
Unassigned
Archive activity
6 updates · 0 media
Narrative
Life story
Start with a concise summary, then continue into the full narrative record for Xiao Qi Ji.
Short version
Xiao Qi Ji (小奇迹), studbook #1235, is a male giant panda born on August 21, 2020 at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C. He is the youngest cub of Tian Tian (添添) and Mei Xiang (美香), and was named through a global online vote receiving 135,000 ballots. His name means "Little Miracle" — a fitting tribute as he was born when his mother Mei Xiang was 22 years old, making her the oldest panda to give birth in the United States. He returned to China with his parents in November 2023 and now resides at the Wolong Shenshuping Base.
Basic Profile
Xiao Qi Ji (Chinese: 小奇迹, meaning “Little Miracle”) is a male giant panda born on August 21, 2020, at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., United States.
He is the youngest cub of Tian Tian (添添, studbook 466) and Mei Xiang (美香, studbook 461). His older siblings include Tai Shan (泰山) (born 2005), Bao Bao (宝宝) (born 2013), and Bei Bei (贝贝) (born 2015).
”Little Miracle”
Xiao Qi Ji’s birth was extraordinary: mother Mei Xiang was 22 years old at the time, making her the oldest giant panda to successfully give birth in the United States. After a 3.5-hour labor, Mei Xiang delivered a healthy cub and immediately began caring for it.
Naming
In November 2020, the Smithsonian National Zoo held an online naming contest. Over 135,000 votes were cast from around the world. Four candidates were offered: Fu Zai (福仔), Xiao Qi Ji (小奇迹), Xing Fu (幸福), and Zai Zai (仔仔). On November 23, 2020, “Xiao Qi Ji” (小奇迹) was announced as the winner with an absolute majority.
Life in Washington
Growth
Xiao Qi Ji grew rapidly under the expert care of the Smithsonian’s panda team. He celebrated his 2nd birthday in August 2022 with a frozen apple and pineapple juice cake, and his 3rd birthday in August 2023 with a multi-layer fruit cake.
Farewell
In September 2023, as the Smithsonian’s panda agreement with China expired, the zoo held a nine-day farewell event for the panda family. On November 8, 2023, Xiao Qi Ji, Tian Tian, and Mei Xiang departed Washington, arriving in Chengdu on November 9, 2023.
Life in China
After completing quarantine, Xiao Qi Ji was introduced to the public at the Wolong Shenshuping Base in December 2023. In January 2024, he sustained a minor paw injury from bamboo splinter and was temporarily out of public view while recovering.
He currently resides at the Wolong Shenshuping Base of the China Conservation and Research Center.
Evidence
Life timeline
Key updates and milestone events tied to Xiao Qi Ji.
2023 (2)
2020 (3)
Knowledge graph
Family and network
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Father Mother Half-siblings (grouped)
Xiao Qi Ji has
1 half-sibling.
The majority share the same father, Tian Tian
, indicating a highly prolific paternal lineage.
Theme graph
Themes connected to Xiao Qi Ji
This panda is connected to 4 themes in the broader archive graph.
Lineage themes
Program and tag themes
Gallery
Media gallery
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Connected archive
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This is the next layer around the profile: place journey, current geography, reading context, and nearby panda records.
Place journey
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Birth placeWashington D.C., United States
2020 to 2021
Zoo
China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Xiao Qi Ji transferred to china_conservation_and_research_centerDujiangyan, China
2021 to 2023
Breeding center
Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base
Current residenceWolong, China
2023 to present
Breeding center
Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base
Mei Xiang returns to ChinaWolong, China
2023 to present
Breeding center
Current location
Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base
Wolong, China
Xiao Qi Ji is currently linked to Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base.
Archive paths
Mentioned in archive reading
culture
The Great Return: Why Overseas-Born Pandas Must Come Home
Every panda born outside China must return by age four — a clause that shapes the emotional landscape of international panda cooperation. From Tai Shan (2005) to Fu Bao (2024), this article traces the biological, legal, and emotional dimensions of the panda homecoming, examining what happens when an overseas-born panda lands in Chengdu and must learn to be a Chinese panda.
culture
Pan Pan's Dynasty: The Hero Father Behind 25% of All Captive Pandas
Studbook #001. 130+ descendants. 25% of the global captive population. Pan Pan was the most genetically prolific giant panda in history — rescued from the wild as a cub, he became the founding sire who rescued the captive breeding program from collapse. This is the story of the panda who became a dynasty, the genetic legacy that now defines a quarter of all captive pandas, and the complex management challenge his extraordinary reproductive success created.
culture
The Ultimate Panda Documentary Guide: 50+ Films Every Panda Lover Needs to Watch
A curated global guide to over 50 panda documentaries spanning seven decades, seven thematic categories, and ten countries — from Pan Wenshi's raw Qinling field recordings in the 1990s to the 2024 Korean theatrical release Goodbye, Grandpa. Every film is verified, reviewed, and linked to the real pandas, keepers, and breeding centers behind the footage.
culture
Behind Every Name: The Art and Meaning of Naming Giant Pandas
From 'Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan' (symbolizing reunion) to 'Fu Bao' (lucky treasure), every giant panda name carries layers of cultural meaning, political significance, and public sentiment. This article explores the naming traditions, the global naming contests, and how panda nicknames — like Hua Hua's 'Guo Lai' — have become a unique form of modern Chinese internet folk culture.
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Sources and references
Information on this page is compiled from conservation institutions, official panda records, media archives, and the wider PandaCommon research workflow.
Primary source types
- Conservation institution records
- Official panda databases
- Research publications and archive reporting
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