最萌“外交官”回國

It was a touching moment at the National Zoo in Washington, US: tens of thousands of people from all over the country, and even the world, came to bid farewell to one of the area’s most popular residents. They weren’t saying goodbye to a person, but to a panda.

這是發生在美國華盛頓國家動物園中的動人一幕：全美乃至全世界成千上萬的人前來和這裏最受歡迎的居民告別。他們不是在和一個人道別，而是和一隻熊貓。

BaoBao, the zoo’s beloved (受寵愛的) giant panda, left for her new home in Chengdu, China on Feb 22. She’s the first female giant panda born in the US National Zoo and has won the hearts of many Americans since her birth three and a half years ago.

2月22日，動物園內備受寵愛的大熊貓寶寶啓程前往她位於中國成都的新家。她是在美國國家動物園內誕生的第一隻雌性大熊貓，從三年半前她出生開始，便俘獲了不少美國人的心。

A series of goodbye events were held, including a dumpling party and cake feedings (餵食). Information about her flight was even made available online so that people could keep track of her journey.

動物園舉辦瞭如餃子派對、餵食蛋糕等一系列歡送活動，甚至還在網上公佈了寶寶的飛機航班信息。這樣，人們就能時刻了解她的旅途動態了。

“It’s something that, especially with the giant pandas, you know exactly when this is coming,” keeper Stacey Tabellario told the Washington Post. She had helped take care of BaoBao since the panda was born at the zoo.

“尤其是對於大熊貓而言，我們很確切地知道這一時刻什麼時候會來臨，”飼養員Stacey Tabellario在接受《華盛頓郵報》採訪時表示。從寶寶在動物園出生那天起，她一直在幫忙照顧她。

“We know that they’re going … by the age of four. So we can prepare for it. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t get attached,” she added.

“我們知道到了四歲……它們就得離開。所以我們可以有所準備，但這並不意味着我們沒有建立起感情，”她補充道。

BaoBao was destined (命中註定的) to return to her ancestral home due to an agreement between China and the US. In fact, most giant pandas around the world are on loan (租借) from China and cubs (幼崽) born abroad will be sent back before they turn four.

由於中美之間的協議，寶寶註定要回到她的故鄉。事實上，全球大部分的大熊貓都是從中國租借的，出生在海外的幼崽將會在四歲時被送回國內。

Native to China and adored (喜愛) around the world, the furry black-and-white animals have played an important role in the country’s diplomacy (外交). This is known as “Panda Diplomacy”.

這種毛茸茸、黑白相間的動物是中國的本土物種，受到了全世界的喜愛。它在我國外交中扮演着重要的角色，被稱爲“熊貓外交”。

The practice dates back to the Tang Dynasty, when Empress Wu Zetian sent a pair of pandas to the Japanese emperor.

這一做法可追溯到唐朝，當時，武則天將一對熊貓送給了日本天皇。

China revived (重啓) panda diplomacy in the 1950s when China sent two pandas to the Moscow Zoo. By 1982, China had given 23 pandas to nine different countries. The most famous one was China’s gift of two pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, to the United States in 1972 after former President Richard Nixon’s visit to China.

上世紀50年代，我國重新開始了熊貓外交，將兩隻大熊貓送往莫斯科動物園。到了1982年，中國已經將23只大熊貓送往9個不同的國家。其中最著名的，是我國在美國前總統理查德?尼克松1972年訪華後送給美國的兩隻大熊貓 —— 玲玲和興興。

However, since the early 1980s, China has stopped giving away pandas for free because of their decreasing numbers. Instead, the animals are loaned to other countries.

然而，自上世紀80年代初開始，由於大熊貓數量不斷減少，中國已經停止向外免費贈送熊貓，而是改爲租借形式。

For example, zoos in the US, UK and France “rent” pandas from China. The money they pay for the pandas, which ranges from tens of thousands to millions of US dollars, was used to fund conservation (保護) and breeding programs of the endangered (瀕危的) species.

比如，美國、英國以及法國的動物園都從中國“租借”了熊貓。他們的租借費從上萬到上百萬美元不等。這些錢會被用於資助該瀕危物種的保護繁育項目。

The panda is by no means the only animal serving as an “ambassador of friendship”. Elephants and dogs have also been given as diplomatic gifts. In 1953, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh sent Chairman Mao Zedong two Asian elephants as gifts as a symbol of the friendship between the two countries.

大熊貓絕不是作爲“友誼大使”的唯一一種動物。大象和狗也會被作爲外交禮物進行贈送。1953年，越南領導人胡志明送給了毛澤東主席兩頭亞洲象，作爲禮物和兩國友誼的象徵。