It was a happy hunting ground for emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), more than 20 sq km of rolling meadows on the outskirts of Beijing, with the highlands of Haituo Peak stretching across the horizon.

So the offer from friends to take in the bracing spring air over the Kangxi Grassland and be part of history on horseback was too good to refuse.

Never mind warnings about the tourist trap sounded before my weekend trip. After all, I had been in China long enough and always avoided being fleeced like a wide-eyed foreigner fresh off the plane.