Is the Panda a Chinese Animal?

Uncategorizedyvonne.liu.wolf

Geographically speaking, the panda may be uniquely Chinese. In any Chinese gift shop outside of Asia, you will surely see a plethora of products created in homage to this snugly creature so deserving of our protection. Yet, if you enter a Chinese gift shop in the Chinese world, plush pandas would be squeezed out by the merchandising of 12 other animals who enjoy far greater fandom. Zodiac animals like the Ox, the Boar, and the Horse are stocked in full to lure sales in both the men’s and women’s departments, key chains, cell phone cases, amulets, bracelets, just to name a few. Many Chinese people identify with their zodiac animal with affection and affinity, just as Americans may have a love affair with the horse as in a Mustang convertible or the bull in a Bull’s basketball team jersey. In this context, the Panda, which is a rather recent competitor, might have to wait a few more centuries to grow its demand in the Chinese domestic market.


Photo from https://pxhere.com

Photo from https://pxhere.com

About Author

yvonne.liu.wolf

Yvonne Wolf was born in Taiwan and educated in the U.S. and Europe. She has extensive experience living and working internationally (Denmark and Japan). She is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Danish, and has studied Japanese, Spanish, and Greek. Between work and personal travel, she has visited more than 20 countries and well-traveled within the U.S. and Canada. She has worked with organizations and business executives focusing on communication strategies working with Chinese and East Asian partners. Among her many skills is mediating across cultural misunderstandings.