On August 1, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding was bustling with excitement as numerous foreign athletes gathered to visit and catch a glimpse of the prototype behind the Chengdu Universiade mascot Rongbao - the adorable panda named "Zhima (sesame)".

Born in 2017 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, "Zhima" holds a special place as the inspiration for Rongbao, owing to its lively and playful nature. On regular days, "Zhima" can be seen engaging in various activities, from climbing trees to performing agile movements.

Amidst the crowd, people expressed their amazement, saying, "Even if we can't see the famous panda 'Huahua (flower)', it's still satisfying to witness the renowned 'Zhima'."

According to the base staff, the name "Zhima" is derived from two reasons. First, its mother is named "Zhizhi", and second, when "Zhima" was born, it had a small black spot near its mouth, resembling a sesame seed stuck to a child's lips after eating.

In front of the panda cub incubator, athletes gathered around, tiptoeing and raising their phones to take pictures. One foreign athlete said, "This is the first time I've seen a panda cub, and it is truly wonderful. I've never seen so many pandas before, and they are incredibly adorable. This is an unforgettable experience."

Eager to capture memories, people took out their phones for selfies with the pandas. Wearing a cute pink panda hat, one athlete finally got his chance after a long wait in line and immediately took a selfie with the panda cubs.

Inside the panda base's gift shop, many foreign athletes enthusiastically selected panda-themed merchandise, resulting in long lines at the checkout counter. One excited athlete shared, "I really love the furry panda plushies, and I've picked out two to take home. Seeing so many pandas here has been such a fantastic experience."

Several athletes mentioned that their competition events had concluded. They all agreed that their time in Chengdu was delightful, as they felt the warmth and hospitality of the Chinese people. Before heading back home, they expressed their desire to explore the city and fully enjoy this journey.

It is reported that the Chengdu Universiade's city culture exchange activities include visits to popular landmarks like the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu Museum, and Kuanzhai Alley, providing athletes and representatives from around the world with opportunities to explore Chengdu's rich culture.

外国运动员花式打卡熊猫基地

8月1日，成都大熊猫繁殖研究基地十分热闹。不少外国运动员组团打卡熊猫基地，一睹成都大运会吉祥物“蓉宝”的原型“芝麻”的真容。

“芝麻”于2017年出生在成都大熊猫繁育研究基地。“芝麻”能够成为“蓉宝”的创作原型，很重要的一点就是它非常活泼好动。平日里的“芝麻”就到处做运动，举高、爬树、无所不能。

现场不少人感慨：“来成都排队看不到女明星‘花花’，能看到顶流‘芝麻’也没有遗憾了。”

据基地的工作人员介绍，芝麻的名字由来，一方面是因为它的妈妈叫芝芝，另一方面是因为它出生时嘴边有个小黑点，酷似小朋友吃完东西后挂在嘴边的芝麻粒儿。

在熊猫宝宝保温箱前，围着不少踮起脚、举起手机拍照的运动员。一位外国运动员表示：“这是我第一次看到熊猫宝宝，这种感觉真的是太美妙了。我之前从来没有看到过这么多熊猫，它们真的好可爱。这真是一次难忘的经历。”

人们纷纷拿出手机与熊猫合照留念。戴着粉色熊猫帽子的运动员，经过长长的排队，终于等到人流稍少时，他立刻拿出手机和熊猫宝宝来了张自拍。

在熊猫基地的商品店，不少外国运动员正在兴致勃勃地选择熊猫周边，收银台满是排队付款的人。一位运动员兴奋地表示，自己很喜欢毛茸茸的熊猫玩偶，已经选好了两只准备带回家。在这里看到了很多熊猫，真的是很好的体验。

几个外国运动员提到自己的比赛项目已结束。他们不约而同地表示，在成都度过的这段时间很美好，感受到了中国人的热情，希望在回国前能好好探索这座城市，尽情享受这段旅程。

据了解，成都大运会城市文化交流活动线路涵盖了大熊猫繁育研究基地、成都博物馆、宽窄巷子等热门打卡地，让来自世界各地的运动员、随队代表体验成都的文化。

文 | 羊城晚报特派全媒体记者 詹淑真 龙希
图 | 羊城晚报特派全媒体记者 詹淑真
翻译 | 刘佳慧