'The Blonde Chinese': Happy Rogers stuns netizens with fluent Mandarin

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Learning Chinese has become a new trend in the West. More and more people are picking up Mandarin, seeing its benefits and inherent charm. Recently, a video of an American girl speaking perfect Mandarin went viral in China. Who is she, and how did she become so fluent at the language? Our reporter Zou Yun has the story.

Lyrics: In that place far away; There is a beautiful girl When people go by her house; They look back to longingly stare.

Just like what she's singing in the song, she is a beautiful girl from far away indeed. This is Happy Rogers. This unusual name is actually a nickname she chose for herself, at the tender age of 2.

HAPPY ROGERS "My Chinese name is Kuai Le, and my English name is Hilton Agusta Rogers, Which is quite a mouthful, so when I was two years old someone asked what my name was, and I just translated Kuai Le into Happy, since then I've been happy whether I'm happy or sad."

A couple weeks ago, this video of her speaking fluent Chinese went viral online. Her Caucasian features in contrast with her near perfect pronunciation delivered in news broadcasting style, become the subject of many conversations in China. Yet, she had no clue about the buzz she was creating until her recent visit to China.

HAPPY ROGERS "I didn't expect it at all, the other day when I arrived in China, the immigration officer recognized me, and it was the shock of my life. At first, I thought something was wrong with my passport. And then she was like, are you the one who speaks Chinese? I was like, yes. It was amazing, I'm so honored and happy."

Happy was raised speaking 2 languages: English and Chinese. She had a Chinese nanny since she was little, went to bilingual schools, and has been exposed to many aspects of Chinese culture. All this has enabled her to easily switch between the two languages -- within the blink of an eye.

What is your favourite Chinese food?

Small steamed bun.

What's your favourite Chinese TV show?

The first episode of "Ode to Joy".

Who is your favourite actoractress?

Liu Tao, I also think Fan Bingbing is very pretty.

What do you want to do when you grow up?

Actress, I would like to come to China to be actress.

With Mandarin engraved deep in her mind and heart, Happy has fostered a sense of identity for Chinese culture. So much so, that her handle on social media is "The Blonde Chinese".

HAPPY ROGERS "I love Chinese, and I'm American and blonde, well, almost blonde, so that's the blonde Chinese."

And one of the people who feels most proud about Happy's mixed sense of identity is her father, American investment guru Jim Rogers. He said that the best gift he could give his children is to let them learn Chinese and prepare them for the future which he believes will be in Asia.

That's why he not only talked the talk, but walked the walk by moving his family from New York all the way to Singapore in 2007. It has been ten years since then, and his family also strongly echoes his sentiments on Asia's endless possibilities.

PAIGE PARKER MOTHER OF HAPPY ROGERS "I remember the very first time I came to China in 1999, I saw an energy and work ethic that I liked and appreciated. And I want that in my children. Each time I'm back, I've been back many times since, it's even stronger, so I think it's the culture and people that I want Happy and Bee to be part of."

While Happy has been to China many times, her visit this time is for a special end-year program for one of CGTN's flagship shows, the Point with LIU Xin. So for more inspiring stories with Happy Rogers and other guests, do stay tuned. Zou Yun, CGTN, Beijing