Map of China

The Tang Dynasty (AD618-907) was an era of unparalleled importance which produced some of China’s greatest literature and, in particular, poetry. Buddhism took root across the land, and China opened up to the world, introducing silk, paper and spice to the West by way of the Silk Route — but fires, earthquakes, wars and the belief that the old must make way for the new have seen to it that there is, sadly, not much from those centuries left.

To find what remains I travelled to the city that was the Tang capital, the Eastern rival of Constantinople and Rome — Chang’an.

Now known as Xian (pronounced something like Shiang), this is China’s cultural and historical heart — the capital for 1,100 years (from the 2nd century BC to the 9th century AD), seat of 13 ruling dynasties — and the home town of Yimou Zhang, the director of House of Flying Daggers.

These days, for all its incredible heritage, Xian is not what one might call picturesque. Capital of the Shaanxi province, the city is home to some seven million people. Stand at the top of the 14th-century bell tower and you will see a shopping centre that’s more Elephant and Castle than Peony Pavilion — with a huge McDonald’s next door.

But look the other way, and you will see the ramparts of the city walls, built by the Tang emperors to mark the boundary of the Forbidden City. The 14km (8.7 miles) that remain date back to the beginning of the 14th century and the Ming Dynasty. They don’t quite encompass the city centre, but you can hire a bicycle (60p for an hour) and even covering a small portion of the wall gives you some idea of the power of those who built it.

Venturing outside the city walls I came to another symbol of Xian, the Big Goose Pagoda. The temple surrounding the pagoda was built in the mid-7th-century by Emperor Gaozong, to remind him of his mother. They popped on a pagoda a few years later to house the Buddhist scriptures that the monk Xuan Zang brought back from India.

The Tang country retreat, the Huaqing hot springs, is 30km to the east of the city. Emperor Xuanzong spent every winter at the palace he had built here from 745-755 with his favourite concubine — you can see the huge swimming pool of a bath that he used to wallow in, and a copy of the tower he had built for his lady friend, Rapunzel-like, to dry her fashionably long hair.

Another taste of the Emperor Xuanzong’s pleasures can be sampled at the Tang Dynasty Show, a nightly performance (plus optional five-course dinner) of traditional Tang music and dance. This theme restaurant sounded as appealing as joining the ranks of the emperor’s eunuchs, but although the sets and costumes may not quite rival House of Flying Daggers, the fire breathing acrobatics and general sword waving made for surprisingly good entertainment.

These days, of course, most people visit Xian on the strength of one must-see — the Terracotta Warriors. Discovered only 30 years ago, the 8,000-odd clay soldiers — a force designed to protect China’s first emperor, Qin, the man who united the country and gave the order to build the Great Wall — are more than 2,200 years old.

You can pose for a photo with the farmer who found the first warrior’s head too — although he’ll charge you 60p for the pleasure, which is why locals call him the richest farmer in China.

Wandering back into town, through the tunnel that leads between the Drum Tower and Grand Mosque, to the Islamic quarter, I stopped at a foodstall and bought myself delicious spring onion pancakes and dumplings for less than 10p each. I strolled on past the artisan shops and bought a jade (or we could just call it glass) bracelet for the no doubt outrageous sum of three quid. A bustling reminder that business is booming in the world’s fastest growing economy — and maybe a new golden era is about to begin.

Need to know

Getting there: Magical China (0161-962 9054, www.magicalchina.co.uk) offers itineraries including Xian; for example, a ten-day trip with four nights in Beijing and two nights in Xian is from £1,330pp.

Other operators: Explore (0870 3334001, www.explore.co.uk); Regent Holidays (0117-921 1711, www.regent-holidays.co.uk); Audley Travel (01869 276250, www.audleytravel.com).

Further information: China National Tourist Office (0900 1600188, calls cost 60p a minute).

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