Panda archive

Si Nian

思念

alive male Born August 2, 2015

Si Nian (思念, studbook #961) is a male giant panda born August 2, 2015 at Chengdu Base. Son of Mei Lan and Si Yuan, twin brother of Si Yun Yun, he is the half-brother of He Hua (花花). Known for his round face with a pink "lipstick" spot and white rear paws, he moved to Xiamen Lingling Animal Kingdom in 2018 with his brother. Nicknamed "Si Tang Yuan" (思汤圆) and "Gu Zhui" (古锥, cute in Minnan).

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Profile snapshot

Quick facts

Birth date

August 2, 2015

Birth place

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Current location

Xiamen Panda World

Status

Alive

Studbook

#961

Archive activity

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Narrative

Life story

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Short version

Basic Profile

Field	Detail
Name	Si Nian (思念)
Studbook	#961
Gender	Male
Birth Date	August 2, 2015
Birth Weight	174.1 g
Birth Place	Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Current Location	Xiamen Lingling Animal Kingdom (厦门灵玲动物王国)
Status	Alive
Father	Mei Lan (美兰, #649)
Mother	Si Yuan (思缘)
Twin Brother	Si Yun Yun (思筠筠)

Family & Lineage

Si Nian belongs to the extensive Mei Lan lineage. His father Mei Lan — the famous Atlanta-born panda — is also the father of internet celebrity He Hua (和花/花花), making Si Nian Hua Hua’s half-brother.

Siblings (Partial)

Name	Studbook	Born	Notes
Meng Lan (萌兰)	—	2015-07-04	Famous “West Lake” panda at Beijing Zoo
Si Yi (思一)	—	—	Older brother
Qi Xi (七喜)	—	—	Older sister
Qi Qiao (七巧)	—	—	Older sister
Si Yun Yun (思筠筠)	—	2015-08-02	Twin brother
Ji Mei (绩美)	1003	2016-06-27	—
Fu Shun (福顺)	—	—	—
He Feng (和风)	1028	2016-08-09	—
Cheng Lan (成兰)	—	—	—
Xing Chen (星辰)	—	—	—
He Hua (和花)	1237	2020-07-04	Half-sister, internet celebrity
He Ye (和叶)	1238	2020-07-04	Half-sister

The “Four Happy Meatballs”

Si Nian and his brother Si Yun Yun, together with twin brothers Jing Ao (晶奥) and Jing Yun (晶运) — born on the same day to panda Jing Jing (晶晶) — formed a famous quartet nicknamed “Four Happy Meatballs” (四喜丸子).

Appearance

Feature	Description
Face	Round (脸圆), white with a distinctive pink spot on his lower lip (点绛唇) — like a tiny lipstick mark
Back Paws	Covered in white fur
Adult Weight	~100 kg (200+ jin)

Naming

In 2016, a global fan naming contest was held for 9 cubs born at the Chengdu Base. Si Nian and his peers received their official names just before the Spring Festival (猴年春节).

Nicknames

Nickname	Meaning	Origin
Si Tang Yuan (思汤圆)	“Yearning Tangyuan”	His name sounds like a brand of glutinous rice balls (tangyuan)
Gu Zhui (古锥)	“Cute” in Minnan dialect	Given by fans in Xiamen (Hokkien: 古锥 = cute/adorable)

Personality

Trait	Description
Temperament	Steady and calm (性格沉稳)
Eating	Extremely picky — only eats the most moisture-rich bamboo. Of his 50 kg daily portion, he often leaves ~70% uneaten
Exercise	Keepers use hanging feeders (吊式取食器) — placing apples and wowotou at height so he must stand to eat
Toys	Loves hammocks and hanging chairs (吊床/吊椅) — but plays so enthusiastically that he destroys them regularly
Hygiene	Fastidiously clean — bathes himself in his pool every 2-3 days

Life Journey

Birth (2015-08-02)

Si Nian was born on August 2, 2015 at the Chengdu Research Base’s Moon Nursery, weighing 174.1 grams. He and his twin brother Si Yun Yun were the first cubs of mother Si Yuan (思缘).

Move to Xiamen (2018-04-26)

On April 26, 2018, Si Nian and his brother Si Yun Yun flew from Chengdu to Xiamen Lingling Animal Kingdom (厦门灵玲动物王国). After three days of adaptation training starting April 29, they made their public debut in May 2018.

Life at Xiamen

The Panda House

The pandas live in a dedicated 3,000 m² facility built specifically for giant pandas:

Feature	Details
Total Area	3,000 m²
Building Area	2,000 m²
Outdoor Enclosures	2
Indoor Exhibits	2
AC Units	20 units (5 HP each)
Amenities	Rockeries, waterfall, climbing frames, hanging chairs, wooden beds, pools
Support Rooms	Exercise room, treatment room, feed storage, cold storage, bamboo washing, bamboo保鲜室, monitoring room

Bamboo Supply

The park cultivates 800 mu (亩) of bamboo plantation — species including thorn bamboo, arrow bamboo, and broadleaf indocalamus. Fresh bamboo is flown in from Sichuan suppliers every 2 days in summer and every 3 days in winter.

Daily Diet

Food	Quantity	Notes
Bamboo	50 kg/day	Only eats ~15 kg due to pickiness
Apples	~300 g/day	—
Wowotou	2-3/day	Made from corn, soybean, wheat, rice + nutrients

Birthday Celebrations

8th Birthday (2023-08-02): “Happy Dopamine, Panda Water Splashing” (快乐多巴胺，熊猫水当当) themed party — featured a bamboo “No. 8 Race Car” (8号赛车) and bamboo tube cake

Current Status

As of 2026, Si Nian continues to live at the Xiamen Lingling Animal Kingdom. His initial five-year stay has been extended, and he has become a beloved fixture of the Xiamen cultural landscape. Fans affectionately call him “Gu Zhui” (古锥) — a term of endearment in the local Minnan dialect.

Evidence

Life timeline

Key updates and milestone events tied to Si Nian.

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Family and network

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Father Half-siblings (grouped)

Si Nian has 31 half-siblings. The majority share the same father, Mei Lan , indicating a highly prolific paternal lineage.

Related profiles

Other pandas connected to Si Nian

These profiles are linked through place, lineage, and broader archive context.

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Si Nian

Start with the profile, then expand into the archive around this panda

Quick facts

Life story

Basic Profile

Family & Lineage

Siblings (Partial)

The “Four Happy Meatballs”

Appearance

Naming

Nicknames

Personality

Life Journey

Birth (2015-08-02)

Move to Xiamen (2018-04-26)

Life at Xiamen

The Panda House

Bamboo Supply

Daily Diet

Birthday Celebrations

Current Status

Life timeline

No updates yet

Family and network

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