Rong Hin

Basic Profile

Rong Hin (Chinese name: 蓉浜, studbook number 389) was a female giant panda born on September 4, 1992 at Chengdu Zoo in Chengdu, Sichuan. Her father was Yue Yue (越越, studbook 308) and her mother was Mei Mei (美美, studbook 334). Her name combines “Rong” (蓉), the short name for Chengdu, and “Hin” (浜), from Shirahama (白浜), her destination in Japan.

Life Journey

The First International Panda Program

Rong Hin was part of a historic first. In 1994, China and Japan established the world’s first international giant panda breeding cooperation program — a groundbreaking agreement that would become the model for every overseas panda loan that followed.

Rong Hin was selected alongside Yong Ming (永明) to represent China. Her name was chosen specifically for this mission: “蓉” (Rong) for Chengdu, and “浜” (Hin) for Shirahama (白浜), her destination.

Transfer to Japan (1994)

On September 6, 1994, the two two-year-old pandas, accompanied by two Chinese panda experts, traveled to Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan. The Japanese media covered their arrival extensively — the first pandas many Japanese citizens had ever seen in person.

The first year was spent on adaptation and public education rather than breeding, as both pandas were still juveniles.

Death

Rong Hin died on July 17, 1997 at less than five years old, just as the cooperative breeding program was preparing to begin formal reproductive research. Her death interrupted the program’s initial breeding plans. The specific cause was not publicly disclosed.

Legacy

Although Rong Hin did not produce offspring, her participation helped establish the framework for future international giant panda conservation partnerships. Her companion Yong Ming later became a highly successful breeding male at Adventure World, fathering many cubs and continuing the work they began together. Rong Hin’s physiological data and behavioral records contributed valuable reference material for the subsequent development of the China-Japan cooperative program. Her sister Cheng Hin (成浜, studbook 390) survived until 1998.