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Jami Wanying Zhong was 10 years old and didn’t speak English when she came to Hawaii from Zhongshan, Guangdong, China. At 21 she speaks English fluently and is Hawaii’s newly crowned 2018 Narcissus Queen.
Zhong is set to be an exceptional representative of the Chinese community. She speaks Mandarin and Cantonese, and won the talent phase of the pageant with an impressive instrumental rendition of a Chinese folk melody played on the guzheng (Chinese zither). A student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, she plans a career in nursing.
In June Zhong leaves for a 14-day goodwill tour of China that will include her first-ever visits to Beijing and Shanghai (for tour information, email info@chinesechamber.com).
JOHN BERGER: What got you interested in nursing?
JAMI ZHONG: My grandfather was in hospice care for a while and whenever I would go to visit him I’d see all the residents without any family members visiting, and I felt really bad for them. And, of course, I like to help people.
JB: It’s unusual to see a contestant wear a black cheongsam. Why did you decide to wear black?
JZ: Black makes the red flowers — they’re peonies — stand out. The peony is the flower of prosperity, and luck in general, and it also represents China. The black background also symbolizes the flowers blooming in the dark to give people hope.
JB: When did you start playing the guzheng?
JZ: About a year ago. I was introduced to it in China when I was a child but after I came to Hawaii couldn’t find a teacher until last year. I really like the piece I played. I put my emotions in it and for the past six months every day I was practicing it. I would love to do some recording but I’m not at that stage yet.
JB: Is there something you’ve done that might surprise people?
JZ: Since I didn’t sing in the pageant it might surprise people that in 2010 I won first place in a karaoke contest singing my favorite song by my favorite singer, Teresa Tang. I think the title translates as “You’re the Only One I Care About.” I love that song.
JB: What would you like to be doing 10 years from now?
JZ: Hopefully I’ll be a registered nurse, and I’ll probably have kids, and I’d like to still be involved in Chinese community events and in community service with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
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