China and African countries boast rich cultural traditions, with histories dating back to ancient times. These long-standing hubs of civilization have produced countless cultural treasures over the centuries, and now more than ever, cultural output from China and Africa is getting a boost from increased global connectivity. Today, Global Watch continues its five-episode special coverage -- China and Africa: A Youthful Perspective -- to introduce some of the most notable cultural icons to come out of the African continent.

Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest, originating thousands of years ago. Kungfu, calligraphy, tea and its distinct cuisines have lent the country's cultural features the mystery of a veil. In contrast, the hot climate in Africa has labelled culture in the continent as vibrant, exciting and open. Africa was the birthplace of the human species, between 8 million and 5 million years ago. Today, its culture reflects the diverse populations that inhabit the continent.

The African people have a rich tradition of arts and crafts, including sculptures, paintings, pottery, and ceremonial and religious headgear. Take a BaKongo voodoo mask for example, the authority of the exceedingly well-crafted item is created through the bird feathers, earthen mixture, metal studding and blades used as ornamentation. These ceremonial masks are an essential feature of the traditional culture of a part of Sub-Saharan Africa and are among the elements of great African art that have most evidently influenced Europe and Western art.

The continent of Africa speaks in hundreds of languages. If dialects spoken by various ethnic groups are also included, this number is much higher. For example, the famous phrase introduced by the Disney movie "The Lion King"--"Hakuna matata", which means something akin to "don't worry, be happy". It comes from Swahili, a language mainly used in eastern Africa.

African musical traditions typically involve strings, horns, and very few polyrhythms. Today musicians on the continent often create cheerful and light-hearted melodies---the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was "Waka Waka-This Time for Africa". Its lyrics not only lit up people's passion and imagination for the football tournament, but also for this magical land.