A Memory in Black and White

US first lady Patricia Nixon welcomes China's giant pandas at the National Zoo in Washington on April 20, 1972. AP

Giant pandas from China and generations of people in the United States have shared memories spanning more than five decades. A first arrival, a child's eager gaze, a cub taking its first steps, a farewell and a new beginning — these photographs capture more than fleeting moments. They show how a simple encounter with a panda can become a memory carried from one generation to the next.

CHINA DAILY

Schoolchildren in panda hats wait outside the Bronx Zoo in New York to see two giant pandas Ling Ling and Yong Yong on April 20, 1987. ROBERT R. MCELROY/GETTY IMAGES

Two-year-old female panda Ya Ya is secured in her cage at Beijing Capital Airport before departing for Memphis on April 7, 2003. FREDERIC BROWN/AFP

Giant panda Bei Bei meets visitors at the National Zoo in Washington on Nov 11, 2019, during a farewell event before his return to China. LIU JIE/XINHUA

An 11-week-old giant panda takes its first steps during a veterinary examination at the San Diego Zoo on Oct 18, 2012. KEN BOHN/VIA AP

Giant pandas Mei Xiang and Xiao Qiji share a frozen fruit cake at the National Zoo in Washington on April 16, 2022, during celebrations marking 50 years of pandas at the zoo. CHEN MENGTONG/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

Artist Shepard Fairey views his artwork at the opening of the Panda Ridge exhibition at the San Diego Zoo on Aug 8, 2024. DERRICK TUSKAN/AP

Visitors arrive at the National Zoo in Washington for the public debut of pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao on Jan 24, 2025. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP

Children interact with a giant panda mascot during Bao Li's fifth birthday celebration at the National Zoo in Washington on Aug 4, 2026. LI RUI/XINHUA