Outline
1. Background
2. History of panda diplomacy
3. Culture industry of panda
4. International views of panda
Panda, whose staple food is bamboo, has been classified into the taxonomy of living creatures as a carnivore.
Panda's striking coat of black and white, combined with a bulky body and round face, gives it a captivating appearance that has endeared it to people worldwide.
However, its claws are as sharp as a scalpel and can easily tear through enemies. An angry panda is as threatening as a brown bear. So don't forget that this mascot is actually a bear.
Pandas can only give birth to one or two cubs at a time. A few months later, the pink 「mouse」 will turn into a black-and-white giant panda.
Giant pandas have been living in the world for 8 million years and are mainly distributed in Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces of China.
Being honored as a "living fossil" and a "national treasure of China", panda also has a special global mission as it has been WWF's Symbol since 1961 when the organizaiton was founded.
The ancestor of panda is ailuaractos lufengensis from Lufeng of Yunnan Province. It used to be a feral carnivorous animal and even a competitor to saber-toothed tigers.
The arrival of the Ice Age caused many animals in the cold northern regions to move to the south for survival. Accordingly, as the lebensraum of pandas getting smaller, there was a time when pandas and saber-toothed tigers compete for food.
Based on the existing fossil samples, scientists found that the ailuaractos lufengensis had two evolutionary branches. The sub-branch of the family had gone long before, while the rest gradually evolved into the lesser panda and then the panda today.
Thus, the ailuaractos lufengensis experienced the evolution process of 8 million years and finally became China's national treasure, the Panda.
In the history of animal evolution, Panda was the veritable king. In the competition for survival, panda took the first place.
Although the panda benefits from animal evolution, it is still an endangered species. Due to the impact of climate and human development, the panda's habitat is shrinking. In the 1980s, there were only 1200 pandas and the IUCN listed them as "endangered".
In recent years, Chinese government has been establishing panda habitats, expanding panda reserves and building panda breeding centers to save them.
According to the fourth national panda survey released by China in 2015, the number of pandas has reached 1864, increasing by over 55%. Therefore, the IUCN has revised its rating of the panda to "vulnerable". Chinese government has made contributions in protecting pandas.
Though no longer in danger of extinction, pandas still need to be conserved. This passage aims to explore international perspectives towards Chinese national treasure, Panda, and take it as a symbol and element to see how internationals comprehend Chinese culture.
History of panda diplomacy
As China’s national treasure, panda has been serving as a friendly emissary abroad for many times and has made indelible contributions to the development of friendships with other countries and regions.
In ancient times, Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty presented two 「white bears」 and 70 pieces of fur to Emperor Tianwu of Japan as national gifts.
(Source:www.forestry.gov.cn)
In modern times, the most famous 「Panda Diplomacy」 took place in 1972, and achieved a honeymoon relationship in China-US diplomacy. In February of that year, President Richard Nixon visited China.
Premier Zhou Enlai announced a valuable national gift to the American people. It is the giant pandas Lingling and Xingxing from Baoxing County, Sichuan Province.
On April 26, 1972, when Lingling and Xingxing arrived at Washington National Zoo via special plane from Beijing, they were greeted by 8,000 American spectators in the rain. In the first month during their stay in the museum, more than 1 million visitors arrived.
In the 26 years from 1957 to 1982, China donated 23 pandas to nine countries. It is a diplomatic way for China to give or lease giant pandas abroad to enhance international ties.
The history of panda diplomacy
(Source:image.baidu.com)
From the gifts of pandas at the beginning to the cooperative research on leasing, the visits of pandas as ambassadors are actually a microcosm of the gradual process of China’s diplomacy towards self-confidence, self-independence, and self-reliance.
Panda diplomacy is a way of representing China’s national soft power. Panda has gradually become a symbol in the western media respresenting China. Chinese themselves also regard panda and this metaphor as an important output of culture and values.
As a goodwill ambassador, panda has traveled all over the world and played a role that human diplomatic envoys could not substitute with. It has greatly improved the relationship between China and other countries in the world.
These pandas have attracted many visitors' attentions. They are a representative of the animal protection cause and can enhance the brand of zoos.
Meanwhile, the act of caring for this precious animal with other countries consolidated the relationship between China and its friends.
Although China cancelled the gift of pandas for diplomacy in 1982, the world’s enthusiasm for pandas has not diminished.
One interesting thing was that, in order to meet the pandas, the Dutch applied 16 times before they succeeded. They built a luxurious Chinese palace for the pandas, which was considered as full of sincerity.
In 2017, China’s giant pandas finally arrived in the Netherlands and settled in a palace worth 50 million CNY.
Culture industry of panda
Panda’s rental
Panda’s rental is a way for China to export pandas abroad. Because of panda’s unique value and rare number, it is extremely popular in Europe, the United States, and Japan.
Zoos, in order to obtain the commercial profit, introduce pandas from China for exhibition. In China, the forestry sector, the zoos and panda breeding institutions can also obtain considerable income, which in return promotes the panda's rental.
The image of Po in Kung Fu Panda
The main character Po in Kung Fu Panda is easy-going, naive, active, playful and childish. He is very infatuated with the Kungfu.
However, Po is not so confident at the beginning. Because he is just a clumsy panda, a helper in his father's noodle shop. Although he longs for being a Kungfu Master, it seems just a dream.
If there is any opportunity to learn Kungfu, Po won't let it go. He is so eager to improve. Po's comprehension ability is also very strong. When he understood the "dragon secrets" of the upsurge, with his own unique way to beat the dragon, he soon became the "dragon warrior".
Po was born with affinity. He always joked, behaved funny to please others. He was imaginative and adventurous. When others were struggling to come up with ideas, he was always able to solve problems in creative ways.
He was also very savvy. For example, at the age of 2, he learned to calm down through painful memories. In Kung Fu Panda: Legend of the forbidden kingdom, he learned the golden lotus palm at a glance.
Po was also a filial son. In order to take care of his father, he would like to destroy the rules and traditions. For instance, he would rather give up the jade palace winter solstice dinner to go home and gather with his father.
The protagonist of Kung Fu Panda
(Source:https://baike.baidu.com/pic/)
Scene
There are two important scenes in Kung Fu Panda. One is the jade palace, the other is Peace Valley. Jade palace represents the Chinese palace architecture, while the Peace Valley represents China's lingering charm and landscapes.
The production team shot them respectively based on the landscape of the Wudang Mountains, Lijiang and Guilin. After five years of grinding, every frame of the mountain and river in the films appeared with the aesthetic feeling of shock.
Kungfu
The most prominent Chinese cultural element of this animation is Chinese Kungfu. Dragon, snake, tiger, leopard and crane are the five elements of Chinese Hong boxing.
In addition, Mantis boxing and Monkey boxing are also common in martial arts. Po finally won Tai Long in advantage of his fat body, which was in line with the Chinese Tai Chi concept of softness and firmness.
Animals
The images of animals were also inclined to the Chinese painting style. Panda is the representative of China.
Other animals also appeared very frequently in China's fairy tales, idioms. The inhabitants were pigs and rabbits. Pigs stand for prosperity and rabbits for innocent people.
Items
In the wake of the dream, Po was surrounded by ceramic pots, bowls and chopsticks, followed by a Chinese-style painting on the wall and a wooden model.
There were lanterns hanging in the open-air noodle shop of Po's house, with the Chinese character "fu" (「福」) upside down under the eaves.
In Po's father's kitchen, we could find bamboo baskets, stone stoves, iron pots and other traditional cooking utensils used by rural Chinese families.
Dragon and lion dances, fireworks and firecrackers were common means of celebrating Chinese festivals. Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion, calligraphy, and the practice of wooden stake.
Buildings
Po's house was a typical Chinese building with hollow wooden windows, yellow tiled eaves and wooden stairs. The main hall of the dragon and the shadow of the imperial palace, especially the Totem pole, were all popular Chinese characteristics.
The carved dragon on the roof was the image of traditional Chinese dragon, which was common in royal architecture and costume.
Clothes
Hats and capes were the general impression of the warrior. Po's father wore a tang suit, while Po dressed in a Chinese apron. The tiger's slanted vest and the turtle's life-like cassock both represented the images of the Shaolin monks in general.
Food
The foods in the film, such as Steamed Stuffed Bun, Yangchun noodles, Tofu, were all traditional Chinese snacks.
Musical Instruments
Flute, Chinese drum, Guzheng, and Erhu, were all traditional Chinese instruments. When the Turtle died, the background music was folk one.
(Source:https://baike.baidu.com/pic/)
International views of panda
When asked about the basic information of pandas, most internationals would say that the panda was black and white, which was the most notable impression that the panda left on them.
The reply was rational since the panda’s color is unique and quite different from other animals. Its appearance is simply consisted of two colors, white and black, which people are apt to keep in mind precisely and firmly.
We always make fun of pandas' dark circles and hence it becomes a symbol of pandas, which we call 」the eyes of the panda」.
Besides, foreign friends often associate the bamboo with pandas when asked what was related to pandas. Bamboo is the staple food of pandas, who usually live in the bamboo forests.
It seems like wherever there is a panda, there will grow bamboos. For example, in many cartoons, movies or pictures that contain pandas, bamboos commonly exist, acting as the background or foods. People love the scene where pandas are eating bamboos, which shows a glimpse of loveliness and loneliness.
Moreover, internationals think the panda resembles the Teddy bear. The Teddy bear is an important part of western culture and people from western countries are familiar with it. That’s why they described the panda on the analogy of Teddy bear.
Teddy Bear
(Source:https://gss0.bdstatic.com)
Also, interviewees discussed other themes, such as the protection of pandas and its identity as a symbol of the WWF, and so on. From the interviews, we could conclude that lthough some foreigners knew some basic information of pandas, they still had a limited knowledge.
As one of the interviewees said, 」many people around the world know that pandas are Chinese and pandas are black and white, but there is still more about pandas.」
So when we asked, 「Do you expect the pandas to come to your country?」 Many of them replied, 「definitely yes if possible」. They want pandas to come to their country, not only to admire them, but also to learn more about them.
(Source:https://m.baidu.com)
Actually, what really counts is that the interviewees said that when they saw pandas, they would think of china. Based on this, we can make efforts to improve international relationships.
First, we can lend pandas to other countries who can treat pandas well. When pandas come to those countries, local people will have a better knowledge of pandas and know more about China.
Second, we can produce some panda-related works of high quality, such as movies or games and so on. When people enjoy appreciating these works, they are more likely to get obsessed with pandas and have a good perception of China.
Third, we can localize pandas and choose publicity strategies according to the specific conditions. After being localized, pandas can be more connected with foreign friends, thus making an essential impact on them.
However, when we spread the panda culture to the world, we cannot lose the essential part, which is the feature of China. For example, Chinese people are friendly, so are pandas. Basically, we can’t describe pandas as a fierce and cruel animal. This is in conflicts with Chinese aspirations.