Learn about Panda Bears and visit the Han Gallery to view original Chinese paintings of Pandas.
The Panda Bear is about the same size as a Black Bear. Pandas grow to be about 5 to 6 foot tall. The Panda Bear can weigh over 250 pounds with males weighing over 300 pounds. The lifespan of the Panda is about 25 years.
Giant Panda Bears are one of four bear species that do not hibernate. This is due to the bears diet of bamboo that is available all year long and they do not eat enough protein to allow them to put on enough fat to carry them through a long period of hibernation. The female Panda cannot produce cubs until she is between 5 and 7 years old. The panda cub will weigh about 5 ounces at birth. Panda's are born blind and all white. Baby cubs will develop their black markings after about a month. Read on below for more information about the Giant Panda Bear. Take a few minutes while you are here to view paintings of Panda Bears by clicking on the gallery at left.
In China, the bear stands for strength and courage. The Giant Pandas of China are known as Xiong-mao, which means “Giant Cat Bear”. The Panda bears were believed to have magical powers and were kept as pets by the early Chinese Emperors
Today the Giant Panda bears only live in six small areas in inland China. The Giant Panda bears live at high elevations, 4,000-11,000 feet, in the mountain forest. Here the habitat is suitable for the fifteen kinds of bamboo on which the Giant Panda consumes in order to survive. Panda bears can eat from 22 to 40 pounds of bamboo each day. Because of their inefficient intestinal system the Giant Panda must feed for 12 to 16 hours a day. When the bamboo goes through periodic die-offs the Panda must find a new place to feed. The Giant Panda often comes into competition with Chinese farmers who farm the lower slopes of the mountains for the bamboo. The Giant Panda bears will remain an endangered animal unless their habitat is expanded.
Panda Bears & Chinese Folklore
The story is told that in the distant past there were no pandas, only white bears known as Bai Xiong. In the mountain of Sichuan lived the daughter of a poor farmer and his wife. While walking in the forest one day the girl befriended a bear cub and his mother. They met often to play. One day the girl saw a leopard in the bushes and the leopard attacked the little cub. The girl threw a stone at the leopard frightening it away from the cub. The mother bear returned at this moment but the leopard knocked the girl to the ground killing her before it escaped into the dense forest. The bears gathered around the dead girl and in their grief dug up the earth around her. As they wiped their earth-covered paws across their bodies and tearful eyes, their eyes and ears turned black and wide black bands appeared on their bodies. From that day forward there were no Bai-Xiong, only giant pandas, Xiong-Mao.
Paintings of Panda Bears
The Giant panda seems as elusive in art as it has been in nature. In early Chinese Art, bears not Panda bears were carved into jade. However, the mountains where the pandas live have been well represented in Chinese art. The traditional landscape known as shan-shui, or mountains/water is one of the most enduring subjects of Chinese Art. Bamboo, the main diet of the Panda bear, has also been a main subject of artists throughout time. The artists now include the Panda bear in their paintings. Paintings of Giant pandas appeared only recently in Chinese art due to the excitement pandas generated among Westerners in this century. Like the inspirational quality of some earlier Chinese paintings the images of Giant Pandas in paintings may serve to educate and inspire others to value one of China's National Treasurers.
View the gallery on this site to see our collection of Panda Paintings. The Han Collection is excited to present these wonderful original Chinese paintings of Giant Panda bears.
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