Once There Were No Pandas: A Chinese Legend

by Margaret Greaves, Beverley Gooding (Illustrator)

Long, long ago in China, when the earth and the stars were young, there were none of the black and white bears that the Chinese call Xiong mao and that we call Pandas. But deep in the bamboo forests lived bears with fur as white and soft and shining as new-fallen snow. The Chinese called them Bai xiong which means 'white bear'.
This beautifully illustrated story is a retelling of the old Chinese legend of how the Panda got his familiar black marking.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Born 1914. Margaret Greaves was educated at St. Hugh's College, Oxford, and taught English in schools and at St. Mary's College of Education, Cheltenham. She died in June 1995

Reviews

[Leslie Reyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not to sure as in how I feel about this book. Overall, it has a great storyline and it is a good tale. But when it comes to young children, I find some things inappropriate, such as the subject of death. This however, might explain a tale that can be passed on, cultural speaking. The illustrations were nice and subtle, which goes with the storyline. I would not read this out loud in the classroom. I think this is a good book for alone reading time or a smaller group.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story based on a Chinese legend about a young girl Chien-min who befriends the white bears of China. Her demise leads to the creation of the black and white panda.

[Morning Glory]

text set

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once upon a time in China, panda bears did not have black patches. But when the bear's human friend and little playmate, Chien-min, sacrificed her life to save her beloved panda cub from a leopard, all the pandas in the country mourned. They rubbed their eyes, and rolled in the dirt, and ended up with black patches on their eyes and legs.

This tale could well be titled, "How the Panda Got His Spots." This old tale represents the Chinese value of sacrificing one's own life for others. In this case, a little girl chooses to give up her life for a baby panda. This type of sacrifice is perceived as pointless or tragic in Western culture, but to the Chinese it is a beautiful, sacred gift. Folktales give a window into the culture of a country, which can help build bridges to understanding.

Lovely detailed acrylic and pen illustrations by Beverley Gooding add many visual details to the story. Ages 5-10.

[Leila T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a couple of bits in this book that I thought were uncomfortably inappropriate for my girl + her age (3), but I couldn't believe that she sat through the complex and long narrative. Part of it, I think, is that she loves animals, other languages, and stories that involve inter-personal relationships and emotions. The book ends with an uplifting paragraph on life after death.