A Bao
阿宝
A Bao is a male giant panda born on September 7, 2010 at Madrid Zoo, the first giant panda conceived through artificial ...
View profilePanda archive
绣球
Xiu Qiu (绣球, studbook #1045) is a female giant panda born September 5, 2016 at Wolong Hetaoping Base. Daughter of Shui Xiu and Xiang Ge, she became famous as the mother of You You (优悠) — the "Little Mud Ball" whose messy appearance went viral. Xiu Qiu's active parenting style kept dragging her cub through the dirt, creating one of the most endearing mother-cub stories in panda fandom.
How to use this page
This page brings together the core facts, timeline, family graph, media, place journey, and related reading for Xiu Qiu.
Profile snapshot
Birth date
September 5, 2016
Birth place
Wolong Hetaoping Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Current location
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Status
Alive
Studbook
#1045Archive activity
4 updates · 1 media
Narrative
Start with a concise summary, then continue into the full narrative record for Xiu Qiu.
Short version
Xiu Qiu (绣球, studbook #1045) is a female giant panda born September 5, 2016 at Wolong Hetaoping Base. Daughter of Shui Xiu and Xiang Ge, she became famous as the mother of You You (优悠) — the "Little Mud Ball" whose messy appearance went viral. Xiu Qiu's active parenting style kept dragging her cub through the dirt, creating one of the most endearing mother-cub stories in panda fandom.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Xiu Qiu (绣球) |
| Studbook | #1045 |
| Gender | Female |
| Birth Date | September 5, 2016 |
| Birth Place | CCRCGP Hetaoping Base, Wolong, Sichuan |
| Current Location | Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding |
| Status | Alive |
| Mother | Shui Xiu (水秀) |
| Father | Xiang Ge (香格) |
Xiu Qiu comes from a very large family. Her mother Shui Xiu is known for producing many cubs:
| Name | Gender | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ao Ao (傲傲) | Male | — |
| Feng Feng (峰峰) | Male | — |
| Yi Ran (怡然) | Female | — |
| Yi Chang (怡畅) | Female | — |
| Hua Yang (华阳) | Male | — |
| Lu Lu (禄禄) | Female | — |
| Xi Xi (禧禧) | Female | — |
| Bao Lai (宝来) | Male | — |
| Can Can (璨璨) | Female | — |
| Xiu Yang (秀阳) | Male | — |
| Mao Mao (茅茅) | Male | — |
| Xiu Chen (秀辰) | Female | — |
| Cub | Birth Date | Gender | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You You (优悠) | 2021-09-21 | Female | Alive | Nicknamed “Little Mud Ball” (小泥球) |
Xiu Qiu was born on September 5, 2016 at the CCRCGP Hetaoping Base in Wolong, Sichuan. She was one of the many cubs born to experienced mother Shui Xiu.
In 2023, Xiu Qiu was transferred to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where she currently resides.
On September 21, 2021, Xiu Qiu gave birth to a daughter — You You (优悠) — at the Wolong Shenshuping Base. The cub was healthy and strong, weighing in at a normal birth weight.
Xiu Qiu proved to be an attentive but exceptionally active mother. She developed a habit of frequently picking up her cub and moving her to different locations within the enclosure. Each time You You was deposited in a new spot, she would pick up dirt and mud on her fur.
The constant relocation left her cub perpetually grubby — a tiny, mud-covered ball of fluff that fans immediately fell in love with. Keepers affectionately called her “Little Mud Ball” (小泥球) — a nickname that stuck long after she learned to keep herself clean.
Xiu Qiu was simply being an overprotective mother — constantly checking on her cub, moving her to what she considered safer spots. The mud was just a side effect of good parenting.
Photos and videos of the perpetually dirty cub spread across Chinese social media, with fans finding endless humor in the contrast between Xiu Qiu’s clean white fur and her daughter’s muddy appearance. The “Little Mud Ball” became one of the most talked-about panda cubs of 2021.
Xiu Qiu is described by her keepers as a devoted and energetic mother. Her active parenting style, while creating the messy “Little Mud Ball” appearance, demonstrated strong maternal instincts and excellent cub care.
Xiu Qiu currently lives at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Her daughter You You is growing up healthy and has long since learned to keep herself clean — though the “Little Mud Ball” nickname remains a beloved part of panda internet culture.
Evidence
Key updates and milestone events tied to Xiu Qiu.
Knowledge graph
See the core family graph first, then continue through related pandas and archive themes.
Family relationship data for Xiu Qiu is being compiled.
Theme graph
This panda is connected to 5 themes in the broader archive graph.
Gallery
Images and video connected to Xiu Qiu.
Connected archive
This is the next layer around the profile: place journey, current geography, reading context, and nearby panda records.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Chengdu, China
Xiu Qiu is currently linked to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Browse nearby, regional, and fast-moving panda profiles related to this archive entry.
阿宝
A Bao is a male giant panda born on September 7, 2010 at Madrid Zoo, the first giant panda conceived through artificial ...
View profile阿宝
A Bao is a male giant panda born on 2011-09-04 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He is the offspring...
View profile阿宝
A Bao (also known as Bao Lan) is a female giant panda born on November 3, 2010 at Atlanta Zoo. Initially mistaken for ma...
View profile阿宝
A Bao is a male giant panda born on September 7, 2010 at Madrid Zoo, the first giant panda conceived through artificial ...
View profile阿宝
A Bao is a male giant panda born on 2011-09-04 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He is the offspring...
View profile阿宝
A Bao (also known as Bao Lan) is a female giant panda born on November 3, 2010 at Atlanta Zoo. Initially mistaken for ma...
View profile冰星
Bing Xing is a male giant panda born on September 1, 2000 at Chengdu Research Base. He lived at Hangzhou Wildlife Park (...
View profile
成和花
Cheng Hehua (Hua Hua, 花花), nicknamed "Fruit Lai" (果赖) because she responds to this Sichuan dialect call, is China's top...
Trust
Information on this page is compiled from conservation institutions, official panda records, media archives, and the wider PandaCommon research workflow.
No external reference links are attached yet.
Move from this profile into more pandas, place histories, and the wider library.
Explore over 758 panda profiles, place links, and archive journeys.