Meng Xiang (Chinese: 梦想; lit. 'Long-awaited dream'), nicknamed Pit, is a male giant panda.[2] Born in the Berlin Zoo on August 31, 2019,[3] Meng Xiang and his twin Meng Yuan were the first giant pandas born in Germany.[4] Their father Jiao Qing and mother Meng Meng[5] were both from Sichuan,[6] and arrived in Berlin for 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Germany in 2017.[7]
| Other name(s) | 梦想, Pit[1] |
|---|---|
| Species | Giant panda |
| Sex | Male |
| Born | 31 August 2019 Berlin Zoo, Germany |
| Nation from | China |
| Parent(s) |
|
The births of Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan coincided with the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, bringing controversy to the naming of the twin panda cubs. Joshua Wong, a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist, suggested that they should be named "Democracy" and "Freedom", while the people of Berlin suggested the names "Hong Hong" and "Kong Kong". Some people suggested the names "Hotdog" and "Fries".[8][9] However, they were finally named "Meng Xiang" and "Meng Yuan".[10][11]
In December 2023, the two pandas were flown to China and relocated to the Chengdu Panda Base. Their handover was contractually agreed to between Germany and China, but was delayed by the pandemic.[12]