Thirty-two young women from across four continents gathered in New York on Sept. 30, 2023, for the culminating event of NTD’s debut Global Chinese Beauty Pageant, also recognized as the Miss NTD Pageant.

The contest formed part of a series of events, all aimed at advocating “pure authenticity, pure goodness, and pure beauty,” organized by the network in its endeavors to uphold traditional culture. Cynthia Sun emerged victorious, clinching the title of Miss NTD with a five-sapphire “phoenix crown” tiara crafted by Shen Yun Collections.

The judging criteria extended beyond the contestants’ outward appearance—significant weight was placed on their comprehension of the five virtues prominent in traditional Chinese culture: morality, righteousness, propriety, benevolence, and faithfulness. The inaugural competition exclusively welcomed participants of at least one-third Chinese descent.