By Chuan-X Panda
Updated: Aug. 07, 2025 15:45 PM
Similar to how the ox is a national symbol of Spain, the kangaroo is an iconic representative of Australia, and the panda is an image symbol of China. It can be said that one land nurtures one people. Each place has its own way of supporting its own inhabitants. Chengdu, as the capital of Sichuan province, China, is the home of giant pandas. Now pandas have become the image of this city. How did pandas become a symbol of Chengdu? Today we will reveal the cultural development of pandas' icon of Chengdu.
Panda— Chengdu’s Cultural Icon
Chengdu has not only built the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base, Panda Valley, but also built many landmark buildings marked by pandas, such as the Super Panda photo spot of the IFS building in the city center, the Chengdu Tianfu Panda Tower, etc. And many panda themed restaurants, panda hotpot restaurants, and panda souvenir shops. Nowadays, in addition to facial changes and the civilization of Shu, pandas have become the city card. Pandas arts, like panda sculptures, panda paintings are seen every corner of this happy city.
How Pandas Become Chengdu’s Cultural Symbol?
In the late 1980s, Chengdu established the "China Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding" in 1987. "Wolong, Siguniang Mountain and Jiajin Mountain", covering 4 cities, 12 counties, successfully applied for UNESCO's World Natural Heritage.
In 2005, the Beijing Olympic Games chose Mao Mao and Jing Jing as mascots ("Five Fuwa") for the Beijing Olympics. In 2006, the Chengdu Cultural Exchange Association hosted the "Global Companion Tour of Giant Pandas", visiting cities around the world where captive giant pandas live. They also held promotional events, presented giant panda gifts and materials, which attracted widespread attention.
In 2008, the animated film "Kung Fu Panda" produced by Hollywood, USA was released globally, and Chengdu initiated a "search for roots" to the film creation team in Chengdu, the "home of giant pandas"; In 2011, Kung Fu Panda 2 was released, which contained a lot of Chengdu elements and triggered a huge craze and a booming panda economy.
Not only that, Chengdu also uses the panda image as landmark elements, such as setting up "Panda Post Office" in Kuanzhai Alley, Chengdu, posting public service advertisements with the theme of giant pandas at subway stations, and promoting the image of pandas to the outside world.
Popular Panda Places to Visit in Chengdu
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
- Address: No. 1375 Panda Avenue, Chenghua District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China.
- Ticket: 55 yuan.
- Travel: Take Chengdu Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue Station → Exit D and take the bus to Panda Base Station.
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Features: Located near the city center, with the largest number of pandas, visitors can see pandas of different age groups. The most important thing is, there is female panda star— Hua Hua (He Hua)! Of course, there are also a lot of visitors. It is recommended to arrive there early when going to see pandas during the summer. Pandas under high temperatures will be taken back to air-conditioned rooms!
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
2. Dujiangyan China Giant Panda Garden
- Address: Shiqiao Community, Qingchengshan Town, Dujiangyan, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China.
- Travel: take Chengdu Metro Line 2 to Xipu Station → turn from Exit A3 to Intercity rail to Qingcheng Mountain Station → turn to Bus 102 to Panda Garden Station ( formerly known as Panda Paradise).
- Ticket: 53 yuan.
- Features: The park is small, adjacent to Qingcheng Mountain. Pandas are abundant and lively, including giant pandas, red pandas, and returnee pandas, and can be visited in 1.5-2 hours. You can also volunteer for pandas here, cleaning their pens and making their own nest heads, which is an excellent experience.
Dujiangyan China Giant Panda Garden
- Panda Valley
- Address: No. 408, Yutang Section, Huanshan Tourism Road, Yutang Town, Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province, China.
- Ticket: 55 yuan
- Travel: Take Chengdu Metro Line 2 to Xipu Station → Exit A3, transfer to Intercity rail to Lidui Park Station → Transfer to bus to Rongchuang Cultural and Tourism City Station.
- Feature: Early selected captive giant pandas learn wilderness survival skills here. The natural scenery is beautiful and there are few people. There are famous pandas on the internet such as Mei Lan and Oreo, as well as free range panda parks, making it a good summer resort in Chengdu.
Panda Valley
- IFS Climbing Panda Popular Photo Spot
- Address: located in the IFS International Financial Center of Chengdu, near the Chunxi Road subway station, Chengdu, China
- Ticket: Free
- Travel: Chengdu Metro Line 2 to Chunxi Road Station, exit from Exit B, navigate to Chengdu IFS, and walk for about 3 minutes.
- Feature: One of the most popular city landmarks, in the city center. There are a super huge panda sculpture on the top of IFS building. Perfect for photograpy.
IFS Climbing Panda Popular Photo Spot
- Naked Eye 3D Giant Pandas
- Address: 20 meters northeast of the intersection of Shamao Street and Xi kangshi Street in Jinjiang District.
- Ticket: Free
- Travel: Chengdu Subway Line 2, exit from Exit B of Chunxi Road, with a naked eye 3D navigation screen in Chengdu. Walk for about 3 minutes.
- Feature: One of the most popular city landmarks on the internet, attracting numerous tourists to watch. The giant pandas seem to jump out of the screen, giving you a strong visual shock. But not always perform.
Naked Eye 3D Giant Pandas
- Panda Bookstore
- Address: No. 75-3 Tangpa Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, China.
- Ticket: Free
- Travel: Chengdu Subway Line 2, exit from Exit E2 of Chunxi Road Subway Station, walk for about 15 minutes (about 800 meters) to get there
- Features: Panda themed bookstore, mainly focusing on cultural and creative activities, including books, cups, refrigerator stickers, dolls, badges, blind boxes, cards, brooches and other accessories related to panda elements. There is a giant panda sculpture with an umbrella at the entrance of the bookstore.
Stackyway Panda Store
- Panda Post Office
- Address: No. 25-6, North Shu Wa 1st Street, Jinjiang Dist., Chengdu, China
- Ticket: Free
- Travel: Take Line 4 of the Chengdu Metro to Exit B of Taisheng South Road Station, and walk for about 5 minutes after exiting the station.
- Features: The only panda post office in Chengdu that has a mural of Panda Hua Hua, and none of the other panda post offices have it. There are various postcards, envelopes, over 100 cute seals, and other panda themed souvenirs here, variou and original.
Top Panda Stars in Chengdu
"Top female Star" Hua Hua panda - location: Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. Her nick name is Hua Hua, her scientific name is He Hua. She was born in July 2020 at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base as a female giant panda and is undoubtedly one of the top female celebrities in the base. As a native Sichuan child, she once thought she was called "Guo Lai" because "whenever she heard" Guo Lai ", she had something to eat.". Due to beautiful appearance and gentle personality, Hehua has attracted many panda lovers to visit Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.
The twin sisters of Heye Panda, Hehua panda once thought they were younger brothers. Heye panda was once famous for snatching bamboo from his sister Hehua panda. In January 2024, the panda "Heye" was found injured while playing in the inner cage on January 18th. Before the injury recovers, "Heye" will temporarily suspend its exhibition to the public.
Panda Future in Chengdu
In the future, the Chengdu Municipal Government will continue to protect the giant panda, showcasing the beautiful wish of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature to the world, and attracting more and more tourists to visit the Panda places in Chengdu. The path of panda diplomacy continues to steadily advance. More and more artists and companies explore the creative cultural industry of Panda IP and producing the authentic panda stuffs to panda lovers around the world.