By: Fendi Yu, Emma Dosa, Milagra Wang, Kaoru Saito
“The Objects in Motion” Project. Developed by students in Dr. Mark Auslander’s class “Global Studies and Cross Cultural Analysis “‘ (ANTH 205), at the University of Southern California's Capital Campus (Fall 2025).
Where are they from?
Both pandas were born at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan.
Bao Li happens to be related to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI)’s former “panda family.” His mother, Bao Bao, was born at the Zoo in 2013 – and his grandparents, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, lived at the Zoo for 23 years where they served as ambassadors for their species.
Image source: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas
In Mandarin Chinese, "Bao" means 'precious' and 'treasure'. "Li" refers to vitality and strength. Put together, "Bao Li" means an active and vital power.
青宝 Qing Bao [ching-BOW]: Qing Bao is a two-year-old female giant panda, whose name means “green” and “treasure." “Qing” evokes the lush habitat of pandas, and “Bao,” which means “precious” and “treasure,” reflects how cherished and adored she is.
Image source: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas
Image Source: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/dcs-panda-family-tree-bao-li-is-the-latest-link-at-the-national-zoo/3742162/