How much of this story is true?

Why was this book written? 

Dictionary of Chinese words

About the Author

Table of Contents

In Sichuan, China, a male panda named Ming and his friend, Chai, the red panda, lived among the bamboo forest. The friends enjoyed playing with each other. One day, they were splashing each other in the water, 

   "I bet I can beat your dive," Ming said as he dove into the water. 
   "Yeah," Chai agreed. "I think you did go farther. Come on, Ming. Let's go eat. I am jī'è de."

   The two pandas swam out of the water and got some bamboo to eat. 
   "This tastes so Hǎo de!" Ming stated through bites. "I am so glad you-" 
   "Shh!" Chai interrupted. "I think I hear something!"

   In the distance, there was a noise that Chai heard. 
   "It sounds like some sort of animal cry," 
   The two friends ran toward the noise until they cam to three little cubs, panda cubs.

   Ming looked around, worried. "Tāmen de fùmǔ zài nǎlǐ?" He nodded toward the three little pink pandas. 
   Chai shook her head. "I don't know, but we better take care of them or else they will starve!"

   And they did just that. The pair watched them grow up and they even named the pandas. 
   The two boy cubs, Poo and Shi Shi, loved to eat and climb, while Ling, the girl cub, enjoyed eating and swimming.

   One day, when Ming and Chai woke up, they discovered that the cubs were missing. 
   "Poo? Ling? Shi Shi? Where are you guys?" they called. They looked all over the bamboo forest, but they couldn't find them.

   "Oh, where can they be?" Chai cried. 
   "I'll go look one more time." Ming answered calmly. "You stay here. I promise you, Wǒ huì zhǎodào tāmen de." 
   Ming said good-bye to Chai and went looking. He decided to cross the river, since they hadn't looked there. 

   Where are they? Ming wondered. Just then, a tiger leaped forward from a nearby bush. 
   "What are you doing here?" it growled. 
   "Um, uh," Ming struggled. He looked around. Then, he heard the familiar sound of the cubs. 

   "You don't happen to see three little cubs, have you?" Ming was frightened. 
   "For my lunch? Yes. For you? NO! They don't belong to you!" the tiger roared. 
   The tiger was in fact true. The cubs did not belong to Ming, but they didn't belong to the tiger, either.

   Ming then tried to go to the left, but so did the tiger. He went to the right, but he blocked Ming again!
   Quickly, Ming jumped on the predator. He punched him a couple of times, but then the tiger showed it's claws. 
   Ming gulped. I am so scared!  He thought.  Suddenly, two more lǎohǔ appeared!

   Ming ran as fast as his chubby legs could carry him. He circled around to where the cubs lay, crying. When they spotted Ming, they stopped. 
   "Bàba!" they exclaimed.  "Bàba! Over here! Come - Bàba, watch out!"
   Ming turned around just in time to see the tiger prance on him. 

  "OW!" Ming reacted as the tiger scratched him. 
   Now Ming was really mad. He punched the tiger in the face, and thankfully escaped from the tiger. Unfortunately, he found out that he was cornered by all three tigers, who showed their claws. 
   Ming was done for. 

   Just as the tigers got to him, he heard Chai. 
   He watched his friend as she did karate to defeat the tigers. 
   "Go Māmā!" the cubs cheered. 
   While Chai was fighting the tigers, Ming grabbed the cubs. 
   "Cōngmáng, Ming! Take the cubs home!"  Chai said. 

   Ming obeyed her and went home. Soon after, Chai returned. 
   "I didn't know you could do that!" Ming exclaimed. 
   "Do what?" Chai asked. 
   "Kōngshǒudào!" Ming said.
   Chai smiled and said, "I just know how to do it."

   Ming laughed. 
   Then, Shi Shi leaned toward Chai. "Mama, can I go do a handstand on the bamboo? I feel so relaxed and kuàilè de that we are safe!"