The majority of Macao people could only see a giant panda on TV or in a cinema till Ying Ying came here.
After performing the role as a "Cordial Ambassador" for a whole week, Ying Ying went back Sunday afternoon to Wuhan, her hometown, leaving both excitement and regret to Macao people.
Thousands of people joined in the queue to visit Ying Ying at the Macao International Commercial and Trade City every day. Some of them returned to the entrance from the exit to see her twice.
Wong Seng Vai, an 11-year-old primary school student, took with him a small wood board that says: "Not only humans need care and love" when he visited the lovely panda Sunday morning.
She told Xinhua how he understood these words: the wildlife is the friend of mankind, they should be loved and cared for so as to live for ever on the earth with humans.
Ying Ying is an "actress" in the Wuhan Acrobatic Troupe.
When asked "what do you know about the giant panda?" a group of students, mostly between the age of ten to twelve, answered immediately, with everybody being eager to put in a word.
"It is one of our national treasures; it is loved by all the people, but only exists in China," said one student.
"It eats bamboo and bamboo shoots in the mountain," another student said.
When Ying Ying sat on a bench drinking milk, a child shouted, " I also drink milk." His mother told him to sit straight just like Ying Ying when eating food or reading.
The 17-year-old giant panda was not cowed in the least, looking leisurely at the people surrounding her.
Liu Jianguo, Ying Ying's special doctor, said that Ying Ying adapted to the climate and environment in Macao very quickly. "I am glad to find she is in good condition, though now I have nothing to do."
Ying Ying ate about four litters of milk, two eggs and appropriate amount of rice, maize and bamboo and took cold showers every day.
Local government officials in charge of tourism and publicity held an opening ceremony for the event on May 13.
Ying Ying was the first giant panda that set foot in Macao. Due to China's consistent protection efforts, the number of giant pandas has been stabilized at around 1,000.
(Xinhua 05/20/2001)
