Ya Ya

Basic Profile

Ya Ya (Chinese: 雅雅) is a female giant panda born on August 4, 2019 at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) Wolong Shenshuping Base. She weighs approximately 85 kg.

Her mother is Su Shan (苏珊), and her siblings include a brother Jie Rui (杰瑞), sisters Xiao Lu (小鲁) and Su Jin (苏锦), and brother Xiao Jiang (小将).

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Ya’an City Mascot

On October 29, 2019, at a ceremony commemorating the 150th anniversary of the scientific discovery of giant pandas by Père David in 1869, Ya Ya and the male panda An An (安安) were officially named the city mascots of Ya’an (雅安市城市吉祥物).

Ya’an — the city whose name means “elegant peace” — shares its first character with both pandas’ names. Together, “雅雅” (Ya Ya) and “安安” (An An) symbolize the city’s character and charm.

Ya Ya’s mascot image features her wearing a red headband, and she appears on city branding throughout Ya’an — on streets, in policy campaigns, and even as citizen emoji packs.

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Life Journey

Early Years

In November 2020, Ya Ya moved from the Wolong Shenshuping Base to the Ya’an Bifengxia Base, where she has lived ever since.

Birthday Celebrations

Ya Ya’s birthdays have been celebrated as city-wide events:

• 3rd Birthday (August 3, 2022): A themed event featuring a giant ice cream birthday cake and a digital music collection called “Panda Concert” (熊猫音乐会), released as a limited NFT of 1,869 copies — symbolizing the year of the first panda discovery.

• 4th Birthday (August 4, 2023): Ya’an Cultural Tourism Group launched a “Panda Sees Ya’an 3D Emoji Pack”, featuring Ya Ya showcasing the city’s new attractions.

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Personality and Appearance

Ya Ya is described as having a short nose, a narrow black shoulder band (肩带), and ears that tilt forward, making her face appear round. Compared to her mascot partner An An, she is smaller with a shorter nose and narrower shoulder band.

Her personality is gentle and calm — though An An is described as more mischievous and occasionally steals her bamboo shoots during meals. Her daily routine consists of eating, exploring, and sleeping (10-15 hours daily). Her diet includes fresh bamboo, bamboo shoots, and specially prepared steamed bread (馍馍).

On hot summer days when temperatures exceed 22°C, she retreats to her air-conditioned room with ice blocks for cooling.