Ping Ping

Basic Profile

Ping Ping (Chinese: 平平) was a male giant panda captured in 1956 in Baoxing County, Ya’an, Sichuan. He weighed approximately 92 kg and was described as robust, with glossy fur and a gentle, active temperament.

The Birth of Panda Diplomacy

In 1957, Soviet President Kliment Voroshilov visited China. During a tour of Beijing Zoo, he expressed interest in acquiring a giant panda. The Chinese government agreed, and Premier Zhou Enlai personally selected the name “Ping Ping” (平平) — meaning “peace” — for the panda who would become the first diplomatic panda gift of the new China.

Journey to Moscow

On May 12, 1957, Beijing Mayor Peng Zhen signed the official gift documents. Ping Ping traveled by train through the Manzhouli border crossing, accompanied by over 300 other animals, aboard a special transport aircraft. His arrival was timed to coincide with the 6th World Youth Festival opening on July 28.

Life at Moscow Zoo

Ping Ping was an instant sensation. On his first day of public exhibition, 100,000 people lined up to see him — the only giant panda in Europe at the time. Soviet visitors affectionately called him “Pinka” (Пинка) .

The zoo initially airlifted bamboo from the Black Sea coast to feed him, but the cost was unsustainable. They gradually transitioned him to willow and birch tree shoots, supplemented with oatmeal porridge and sweetened tea. Keepers noted his peculiar habit of sleeping under quartz lamps in winter, soaking up the warmth.

Death and Legacy

Ping Ping died in 1961, only about 6-7 years old, from digestive system failure caused by years of an unsuitable diet. Soviet zoologists later acknowledged that early ignorance of panda nutritional requirements contributed to his early death.

His gift opened the era of panda diplomacy: over the next 23 years, China would send 23 pandas to 9 countries as state gifts. In 2019, Moscow Zoo installed a permanent exhibition panel documenting Ping Ping’s life and historical significance.