Meng Lan, son of Meng Meng, is the panda nicknamed the "Third Prince of Xizhimen" and is the star of Beijing Fun. In the Xicheng district, a play and shopping area entirely dedicated to the star panda of the Beijing Zoo. Here, tourists and residents can take iconic photos amidst traditional architecture, interactive installations, and exclusive merchandise.
Meng Lan conquers Beijing Fun: the symbol of Beijing
Meng Lan, a Beijing Zoo celebrity and social media sensation, has symbolically moved to Beijing Fun. The Xicheng urban complex combines historic alleys, traditional facades, and new lifestyle attractions. A Meng Lan-themed playground has opened here, complete with giant statues, Instagrammable displays, and a pop-up shop. It transforms the passion for pandas into an immersive experience perfect for photos, videos, and viral reels.
A panda star in the heart of Xicheng
Meng Lan is one of China's most popular pandas. He lives at the Beijing Zoo in Xicheng District and is known for his spectacular acrobatics, which have made him a true internet star. His arrival at Beijing Fun, announced as part of "Beijing Style Flash Week," transforms the shopping area into an urban stage. Hutong culture, in fact, meets contemporary panda mania.
The streets of Beijing Fun, lined with European-style buildings and traditional courtyards, now host giant sculptures by Meng Lan. Themed windows and digital projections invite visitors to take selfies and create visually striking social media content. This location in the heart of "old-meets-new Beijing" makes the experience attractive to both international tourists and young Beijingers seeking new photogenic backdrops.
Playgrounds, pop-up shops and immersive installations
The new Meng Lan playground features soft-touch sculptures, family play areas, and photo trails designed for vertical content to be shared on TikTok, Instagram, and Xiaohongshu. The images released show the panda mascot "peeking out" from the facades of Beijing Fun or welcoming visitors at the entrance, accompanied by LED screens depicting bamboo and natural landscapes, evoking its native habitat.
Next to the installations, there's a pop-up shop with official merchandise created in collaboration with Beijing Zoo. Here, fans can purchase Meng Lan-branded plush toys, gadgets, clothing, and souvenirs. This synergy between the urban park, zoo, and retail strengthens Xicheng's identity as Beijing's "panda culture" district and offers new storytelling opportunities for tour operators, content creators, and responsible tourism brands.
Tourist value and potential for panda lovers
For those traveling to Beijing on the trail of giant pandas, the Beijing Zoo + Beijing Fun combination is an ideal one-day itinerary in the Xicheng District. In the morning, you can observe Meng Lan in her enclosure at the Olympic Panda Pavilion during peak activity hours. In the afternoon, explore the themed playground, snapping photos and participating in the "Beijing Style · Flash Week" initiatives.
This dual experience offers visitors educational content about the giant panda in the zoo and a playful urban setting where the mascot becomes a pop icon, increasing its international visibility and attracting a steady flow of visitors. For those managing blogs, social media channels, or travel portals dedicated to pandas, Meng Lan at Beijing Fun represents a perfect case study of how an iconic animal can generate local branding, experiential tourism, and new digital narratives.