Why am I obsessed with China’s ancient golden age? I took my daughter on a trip to find out
The author reflects on their personal connection to China's Tang dynasty while traveling with their daughter. They explore the dynasty's cultural sophistication and cosmopolitan nature to challenge Western perceptions of an inward-looking China.
Why it matters
It provides a cultural perspective on historical Chinese influence and the importance of heritage in shaping personal identity.
Visitors surround a clay warrior from the Qin-era terracotta army at the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. Photograph: ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News. I felt a duty to write about the Tang dynasty and its incredible social and cultural sophistication – but also to connect my Chinese past with my child
Prefer the Guardian on Google Tang During the Tang dynasty , which lasted from the seventh to the early 10th century, Vikings were raiding the coasts of what today is called Europe. In the small archipelago now known as Britain, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms flitted by. Meanwhile, in Mesoamerica, after 3,000 years of flourishing, the Maya civilisation was collapsing . In the east, China had been united for nine centuries and the Tang dynasty was already a proverbial high point of world culture.
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