A Sunday morning search for a Panda in Beijing zoo

But the heat doesn’t seem to faze visitors flocking to the Beijing Zoo - one of Beijing’s most famous spots, just a few kilometres from the city centre. 

The air is thick with anticipation, and the zoo is beginning to buzz with a mix of locals and tourists, all eagerly awaiting their chance to catch a glimpse of a ‘Meng’.

Everyone seems to have come prepared for the scorching sun; hats, umbrellas, and sunblocks are the accessories of choice. 

Enthusiastic tourists, including a group of Kenyan journalists visiting for the first time, make their way to the Panda House within the zoo. Here, the pandas are the undisputed stars, phones, cameras out as everyone is ready to catch a perfect shot.

A female tour guide stands nearby, addressing a small crowd. With a practised tone, she shares a reality many may not want to hear: "The pandas might be napping right now."

“If they're feeling tired, they’ll retreat inside for a rest. It happens a lot, so be prepared,” warns the guide. But despite the possibility of missing out, the tourists — especially the first-timers — are undeterred. They are determined to see a panda, which can only be found in the wilds of China. Giant pandas are native only to the mountains of southwestern China.

Inside the Panda House, the atmosphere is electric. Visitors are jostling for the perfect position, cameras held high and phones raised in the air, all hoping to catch that magical moment when a panda finally emerges. 

Parents hold their children on their shoulders, high enough to give them a better view.  All along, professional photographers are setting up their camera mounts, preparing for the elusive shot.

And then, finally, the moment arrives. A panda, unaware of the frenzy it has stirred, saunters into view. But there is a twist. It is inside a large glass compartment, and visitors can only watch through the thick glass. 

There is a collective gasp of excitement followed by an intense scramble. The crowd surges forward, eager to snap that perfect photo. Some are so focused on the panda's every move that they forget their manners, pushing and shoving their way for a better view. 

But the panda, blissfully indifferent to the commotion, simply goes about its business. It turns to the left, then the right, offering nothing but the back of its fuzzy head. 

Camera shutters click furiously, but the perfect shot still eludes them. The visitors shift impatiently, hoping for just one chance to see the panda’s ‘meng’ face, but it remains obstinately turned away. 

As time passes, the excitement begins to fade, and one by one, visitors start to trickle out, their patience exhausted.

Some, more pragmatic than others, leave with a few pictures of the panda's backside and a sigh of resignation. Others linger, hoping for the panda to finally turn and face the crowd. 

But the panda has its own rhythm, and the visitors are left to wait - sweating in the midday sun, determined to catch that elusive glimpse of the animal they’ve travelled so far to see.

There are nine out of the eleven giant pandas that have been raised on exhibit at the Beijing zoo. The pandas include Meng Er, Meng Lan, Meng Da, Meng Bao, Dian Dian, Fu Xing, and Meng Yu. Meng Lan is particularly famous for his curious nature and attempted escape from his enclosure, while Dian Dian is known for her "princess-like" behaviour.

"Meng" is a prefix incorporated into the names of several pandas at the Berlin Zoo and is today an online slang term meaning "cute".

While pandas are found in zoos and breeding centres around the world, they are believed to be on loan from China, as part of the "panda diplomacy.” 

For a Kenyan reading this, the sight of such a crowd on a Sunday morning might seem odd. Back home, most people would be in church, celebrating their faith in vibrant congregations. But here, in China, religion is a more private matter. 

Officially an atheist state, with over 70% of the population identifying as nonbelievers, China has a unique cultural and spiritual landscape. 

Beliefs in China include;

Traditional beliefs such as Confucianism and Chinese folk religions are followed by 30-35% of the population

Taoism which attracts approximately 10-15% of the population.

Buddhism is practised by around 18-20% of Chinese, even though many embrace a mix of Buddhism and Taoism.

Christianity is estimated to attract 2-5% of the locals, as Islam is practised by 1-2%, mainly among the Hui and Uighur ethnic groups.

While Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism all have their communities, traditional beliefs still hold significant sway. For many, a Sunday visit to the Panda House is a chance to connect with nature, or perhaps simply to enjoy a quiet afternoon away from the heat of the city.

But for those at the Panda House, the true connection is to the animal itself - elusive, iconic, and yet always just out of reach.