Wu Yi

Basic Profile

Wu Yi (Chinese: 五一, studbook number 630) is a male giant panda born on August 7, 2006 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He weighs approximately 132 kg as an adult.

His name literally means “May Day” (五一), but it was chosen because his birth weight was exactly 51 grams — the world’s lightest newborn panda at the time.

His father is Lin Lin (琳琳) and his mother is Qi Zhen (奇珍, studbook 530). His twin brother is Zhen Da (珍大).

The 51-Gram Miracle

A Disappearing Cub

Wu Yi was born as the smaller of twin cubs. At just 51 grams with a body length of 8.7 cm — roughly the size of a small egg — he was so tiny that his mother Qi Zhen didn’t even notice his presence. When keepers discovered him, his body temperature had already dropped below 34°C, and he was barely alive.

The research team rushed him to an incubator, gradually warming him and using a specially designed miniature nipple for feeding. Day by day, he fought to survive. By October 2006, at about 2 months old, he had caught up in size with his brother Zhen Da and looked like a normal panda cub.

Record Holder

Wu Yi held the world record for lightest newborn giant panda from 2006 until 2019, when it was broken by Cheng Lang (成浪) at the Chengdu Base with a birth weight of just 42.8 grams.

Life Journey

Growth Milestones

By May 1, 2007 (about 8 months old), Wu Yi made his public debut, weighing 17 kg and measuring 76 cm tall — a 30-fold weight increase from birth. By December 19, 2007 (1 year 4 months), he had reached 36 kg.

The Yuan Xiao Incident

On September 26, 2008, during rough play, Wu Yi accidentally injured another panda, Yuan Xiao (缘小), causing a leg fracture. Yuan Xiao needed surgery and had both hind legs shaved — fans joked that “Wu Yi owes Yuan Xiao a pair of fur pants.”

Matchmaking with Mei Lan

In February 2010, Wu Yi was considered as a potential mate for Mei Lan (美兰) — the famous Atlanta-born panda. But before anything could proceed, Mei Lan was discovered to be male, ending the matchmaking plans.

Wuxi Zoo (2010–2013)

On September 14, 2010, Wu Yi was transferred to Wuxi Zoo in Jiangsu Province for a three-year exhibition.

Return to Chengdu and Panda Valley

In 2013, Wu Yi returned to the Chengdu Research Base. In July 2017, he was moved to the Dujiangyan Panda Valley (熊猫谷) — the panda wild training and release center — where he continues to reside.

Cultural Impact

Wu Yi’s extraordinary survival story was turned into a feature-length documentary, “The Story of Giant Panda 51” (大熊猫51的故事), which was released in Japan on February 11, 2012. The film follows his journey from a fragile 51-gram newborn to a healthy adult, highlighting the dedication of panda keepers and the advances in panda保育 (conservation) science.