Flying through Johannesburg

In Johannesburg, South Africa, a temple fair saturated with Chinese culture was held on January 28. Cultural institutes from Beijing had sent along many art works of intangible heritage from the Chinese capital.

 At the fair, clay rabbits sold out quickly, at a price of 200 rand each. Paper-cuttings and bookmarks with dragon patterns were also popular, with more than half of the buyers picking up a cutting or hanging decoration that depicted their birth year animal according to the Chinese zodiac.

"Dragons, paper-cuttings, Chinese culture is so fascinating," said Anthony, a young man who attended the event.

Johannesburg's businessmen at the fair saw the opportunity in Chinese culture. They were eager to know whether Chinese handicraft masters would be repeating their visit in 2013, and hoped to arrange for long term supply of the wares.

But traditional Chinese temple fairs are not just about products. They are also about performances. At an afternoon show, a Chinese acrobatics troupe drew the attention of about 2,000 people, including local Chinese, Africans and tourists from around the world.

The afternoon sky had been clear, but two hours after the performance began, dark clouds rolled in. Pouring rain seemed to have no effect on audience's passion, though. Some spectators moved back to watch under erected shelters, but still others stood in the rain.

While the downpour finished after 20 minutes, the show did not. Although a wet and slippery stage made it more difficult to perform, magic and juggling won cheers and applause repeatedly.

The troupe had two additional performances in a local theater during their time in Johannesburg. The occupancy at the first one had reached 90 percent, but after the temple fair, the second show turned out to be even more popular. Tickets sold out quickly, with many still trying to purchase admission minutes before the acrobats hit the stage. Luckily for those who missed out, a DVD of the performance was available for sale.

"Chinese acrobatics, number one!" said an elderly African couple excitedly who watched the performances.