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贝贝
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XIA
Panda archive
Xiao Xiao
晓晓
alive male
Born June 23, 2021
Xiao Xiao (晓晓, "Dawn") is a male giant panda born June 23, 2021 at Ueno Zoo, Tokyo. Twin of Lei Lei, his name was chosen from 192,712 public submissions. He returned to China in January 2026, ending Japan's 54-year panda era.
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This page brings together the core facts, timeline, family graph, media, place journey, and related reading for Xiao Xiao.
Profile snapshot
Quick facts
Birth date
June 23, 2021
Birth place
Ueno Zoo
Current location
Ya'an Bifengxia Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Status
Alive
Studbook
Unassigned
Archive activity
0 updates · 0 media
Narrative
Life story
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Short version
Xiao Xiao (晓晓, "Dawn") is a male giant panda born June 23, 2021 at Ueno Zoo, Tokyo. Twin of Lei Lei, his name was chosen from 192,712 public submissions. He returned to China in January 2026, ending Japan's 54-year panda era.
Basic Profile
Xiao Xiao (Chinese: 晓晓, “Dawn”), is a male giant panda born on June 23, 2021 at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan. His mother is Shin Shin (真真/仙女) and his father is Bi Li (比力/力力). His twin sister is Lei Lei (蕾蕾) and his older sister is Xiang Xiang (香香).
The twins’ names were selected from 192,712 public submissions and announced on October 8, 2021. “晓晓” (dawn) and “蕾蕾” (bud) together symbolize “dawn breaking, welcoming a bright future.”
Public Debut
Xiao Xiao made his public debut on January 12, 2022, via a lottery system — only 1 in 348 applicants won admission. The zoo opened for just 2 hours daily, accommodating 1,080 visitors with 1 minute each.
Growth Milestones
- May 13, 2022: First solid food (apple cubes)
- June 20, 2022: 1st birthday celebration with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike
- March 20, 2023: Began independent living, separated from mother
- June 23, 2023: 2nd birthday celebration at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo
- April 16, 2024: Separated from twin sister Lei Lei as both exceeded 70kg
- June 23, 2025: 4th birthday celebration at Ueno
Return to China
On January 27, 2026, Xiao Xiao departed Ueno Zoo by truck, with fans lining the streets. He flew from Narita Airport to Chengdu, arriving on January 28. After quarantine, he settled at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base, reuniting with his older sister Xiang Xiang. Their departure marked the first time Japan has been without a giant panda since 1972.
Economic Impact
According to Kansai University Professor Miyamoto Katsuhiro, the twins generated an estimated 300+ billion yen annually in economic impact for Japan.
Evidence
Life timeline
Key updates and milestone events tied to Xiao Xiao.
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Knowledge graph
Family and network
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Father Mother Full siblings Half-siblings (grouped)
Full siblings 2 same father & mother
Xiao Xiao has
2 full siblings and 4 half-siblings.
The majority share the same father, Ri Ri
, indicating a highly prolific paternal lineage.
Theme graph
Themes connected to Xiao Xiao
This panda is connected to 5 themes in the broader archive graph.
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Location themes
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Gallery
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Connected archive
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Place journey
Current location
Ya'an Bifengxia Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Ya'an, China
Xiao Xiao is currently linked to Ya'an Bifengxia Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.
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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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