When mentioning Mainland China, what comes to mind? The magnificent Palace Museum, the red flag fluttering in the wind at Tiananmen Square, or the downy, fluffy Sichuan panda? I think the panda is the best answer. It is the national treasure of China and has lived for 8 million years on Earth. Its adorable appearance, with black and white fur, is the highlight of its charm. For foreigners, the panda is truly marvellous. For me, if it were to become one of the Chinese zodiac animals, it would be well-deserved. But what is the reason I chose it, and why is it special?

Nowadays, the panda is still on the list of endangered animals. Their habitats are often damaged, creating long-term threats to their lives. Although the Chinese government particularly focuses on conservation work, the number of pandas is continuously declining. In my opinion, if the panda becomes a Chinese zodiac animal, it would draw more attention. People would notice the panda and its lovely look, and conservation groups like the World Wide Fund would keep carrying out promotional activities. It is a great way to appeal to everyone to protect the panda, whether it works or not. In addition to this, the panda is closely linked with the Chinese school of thought, Taoism. According to data, the panda’s digestive system retains the characteristics of a carnivore. From Taoism’s point of view, the panda’s choice to give up eating meat and become a vegetarian conforms to the spirit that Taoism proposes. Furthermore, the panda’s fur is black and white, which is in accordance with the Taiji Yin and Yang. Undoubtedly, it has a strong religious connotation.

It is believed that the panda symbolizes friendship, kindness, and unity. It highly reflects the culture of China and is fully qualified to represent it. For example, China has given away pandas to many countries, such as the United States, Japan, and France. Especially noteworthy is when the China Forestry Administration presented pandas An An and Jia Jia to Hong Kong’s Ocean Park to express gratitude for Hong Kong’s assistance during the Wenchuan earthquake incident.

As I have said, the panda symbolizes friendship and kindness. I think that the personality of people with this Chinese zodiac animal would be that of a mediator, as they are skilled at reconciling in a gentle way. The most outstanding individuals could even become diplomats.

You may ask, which animals would be my animal’s friend? Perhaps the goat is a nice choice. People with the goat zodiac care about relationships and are polite all the time. Their personalities are alike, so they may become friends easily and get along well.

To conclude, the panda is the pride of Chinese people. It devotes its life to bringing peace and harmony and should be the one to become a Chinese zodiac animal.

S1 First Runner-up, Chinese Culture Week 2023-24 English Writing Competition