On 22 February 2025, the Chinese Embassy in South Africa held a Lantern Festival themed activity at the famous Boeremark in Pretoria to promote traditional Chinese culture. Minister Li Zhigang attended the event.
A number of exhibition areas were set up on the spot. Locals were invited to taste tangyuan, the traditional Chinese delicacy. They received Chinese culture themed books and souvenirs, watched Chinese martial arts and dance performances, and learned about the origin and customs of the Lantern Festival, as well as the 24 solar terms and 12 zodiac signs. Traditional Chinese culture was presented in a graphic, vivid way. The game of pitch-pot was played and the 12 zodiac seals were presented to attract more people to participate and feel the charm of Chinese culture.
Chinese culture is profound and has a long history. This event allowed the local people to appreciate the profound Chinese culture in a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere, and to enjoy the festivity while savouring the delicious food. It not only showed the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture, but also built a bridge of communication and understanding for people of different cultural backgrounds.
Africa Fact: On bling culture, one seventeenth century visitor to southern African empire of Monomotapa, that ruled over this vast region, wrote that: “The people dress in various ways: at court of the Kings their grandees wear cloths of rich silk, damask, satin, gold and silk cloth; these are three widths of satin, each width four covados [2.64m], each sewn to the next, sometimes with gold lace in between, trimmed on two sides, like a carpet, with a gold and silk fringe, sewn in place with a two fingers’ wide ribbon, woven with gold roses on silk.”
Africa Fact: Southern Africans mined gold on an epic scale. One modern writer tells us that: “The estimated amount of gold ore mined from the entire region by the ancients was staggering, exceeding 43 million tons. The ore yielded nearly 700 tons of pure gold which today would be valued at over $7.5 billion.”

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Fun South African Fact: South Africa in size is three times the size of Texas and five times the size of Japan.