IS there anywhere which embodies the rapidly changing face of Beijing more than 798 Space? This is a vast collection of modern art housed in a series of buildings that used to be - literally - 798 Factory. It’s like a Chinese version of London’s trendy Hoxton district, except without the litter and the drunks.

The exhibitions by contemporary Chinese artists are both original and politically challenging. Consider, for example, the work of Mr Liu Shuishi and the ‘Chinese Abstract Implicationism’ movement. Try putting that term into Google and you will find little beyond the Chinese language blogs. In the West, we are paying so little attention to the amazing cultural development of China which is taking place alongside the rapid economic development of the country. I could have spent several days at 798 Space.

Fine Dining

What goes for art is also true of dining. Beijing is a gastronomic feast, with fine dining which makes London’s Michelin-starred oriental delights like Yauatcha or Hakkasan seem second rate. This is a picture of me at the Red Capital Club, which you can find after driving down the dirt track road of an inner-city ‘hutong’ - traditional working class area.

The Red Capital is an attempt to recreate the kind of snug dining room which Mao may have frequented just after the revolution in 1949. It has a fabulously cosy smoking room where you can browse through the Collected Speeches of the great man. You can also stay at the Red Capital Club, with the choice of the Chairman’s Suite, recalling the days when Mao made all the big decisions from his bedroom, or the Concubine’s Suite, for ‘anyone who has ever dreamed of being or having a concubine’.

At the other end of the style spectrum, Beijing has a whole new raft of ultra-modern restaurants, typified by the Green T House, or Houses as there are two already in the city. We went to the one at No. 6 Gongti Xilu Chaoyang District, a white-walled gourmet diner’s paradise where you can enjoy cutting-edge reinventions of the best Chinese cuisine, seated in intimate booths, or (if you are lucky like us) on luxurious couches. If they were handing out Michelin stars in Beijing, this place would be worth at least two.

If you are looking for the best in traditional Chinese food, Beijing has vast amounts to offer. We spent a very enjoyable evening at one of the DaDong duck restaurants, this one located at ChangHong Bridge. The food is superb, but the most memorable part of the evening is being led through the kitchens to pick your own special duck.

Urban Peace

One of the cliches about Beijing is that it is mainly a smog-ridden, car-choked urban jungle, where any areas of architectural significance are surely being bulldozed to make way for yet more skyscrapers. Like most cliches, this is, at best, a large distortion. True, the traffic is a nightmare, but then so it is in Los Angeles. Yes, there is a massive programme of redevelopment which is steam-rollering over many old districts, some of them worth preserving, some of them not. But there are many traditional parts of Beijing which survive, and which the Chinese seem keen to preserve. The gardens around the Temple of Heaven (above) are calm and restful, where many local people gather every morning to practice their Tai Chi, or play mahjong. Try taking a boat trip around the Shichahai Lake on a calm summer’s evening. Or take afternoon tea in one of the quiet courtyard restaurants that lie off the busy main street of the Nanluguxiang district, which dates back 800 years.

Forbidden City’s Renewal

Even the most conservative parts of Beijing are in a constant state of renewal. This is certainly true of the Temple of Heaven, which re-opened for the Olympics after a massive renovation programme. The Forbidden City is also, piece by piece, being restored to its former glory. The Chinese have said they will complete the works by 2020. In the meantime, every visit yields fresh treasures of art, history and architecture.

Top Hotels

Beijing is now stuffed with top class hotels of every kind - from the big luxury brands to the emerging boutique sector. I have to give a special mention to the staff at the Sofitel Wanda, where we stayed during the Olympics. Given that this is a huge hotel, and the place was packed with very important people of all kinds during the Games, the level of service from the staff, especially at the concierge desk, was just outstanding.

I must also give a very special mention to our superb guide, Jessie, who was recommended by the hotel. Jessie embodies the new Beijing: exuberant, engaging, hard working and looking forward to the future. Please contact us if you would like to get in touch with her.

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