Marco Polo in China

7/31/2019 Marco Polo in China

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Chapter 1

Marco Polo was born in 1254 in Italy's famous city, Venice. His father Nicolo Polo and uncle Matteo Polo

were merchants and were out running their trade since Marco Polo was a little boy. Marco Polo lived with his

mother, and had not once met his father, until he was 15 years old. At that time, Marco Polo's mother had

passed away and he was living with his aunt.

- 1 -

Marco Polo would remember that particular morning in 1269, when the excited shrills of his aunt next door

drew him away from his studying. He rushed into his aunt's room and saw her chatting merrily with two men,

whom he had never met. When his aunt saw him, she immediately introduced the two men to him, and while

pointing to the slightly older man, she said, "Boy, he is your father, whom you've been thinking night and

day!"

- 2 -

Marco Polo prided himself to be a young man of considerable inner strength, and he hardly cried when facing

obstacles. However, at that very moment, he was unable to restrain his emotions. He fell into his father's arms,

and broke into tears. Here he was, the father that he had met for the first time in 15 years. For the past 15 years,

all he could do was to stand at the coast, hoping in vain for the ship carrying his father to fall into sight. While

all he could do before was to imagine how his father might look, now he could finally take into view his

father's face.

- 3 -

Nicolo Polo was equally emotional. He was struck by the appearance and built of his son. Marco Polo was

rather tall and lanky; his face was a little pale, and his thick, curly eyelashes added a fine touch to his blue

eyes, which were aglow with intelligence and wisdom. Warmed with the thought that his son would soon grow

up to be an honest, intelligent and stable young man, Nicolo Polo grinned with pride and satisfaction.

- 4 -

Nicolo Polo took out an assortment of presents from his luggage. Among them were sturdy cotton fabric, fine

linen, intricate silk fabric, muslin, and multicolored gemstones. Marco Polo was filled with curiosity and he

asked his father, "Where did you get all these beautiful and expensive gifts?"


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- 5 -

His father replied, "China, and Persia."

"China? Where's that?"

Marco Polo felt a little perplexed. Is there really such a place called China? Are there many treasures to be

found there? What kind of place is China? It was then that he recalled what he once heard, that there exists in

China a river filled with valuable treasures. Marco Polo thought: "That must be the place where Father and

Uncle picked up all those treasures."

- 6 -

He could not help but ask his father, "Is China rich? Did you make friends with the Chinese people?"

"Certainly, we made many friends in China, including the great Kublai Khan!" answered Nicolo Polo, proudly.

"What's a 'Khan', Father?" asked Marco Polo.

"Kublai Khan is the ruler of China. He's a Mongolian, who called their emperor 'Khan'."

- 7 -

"Emperor? You made friends with the emperor!" Marco Polo was visibly amazed. He kept insisting to his

father to tell him all he knew about China. Looking at how curious his son was, Nicolo Polo started telling

him, in detail, his experience in China.When Nicolo and Matteo Polo were trading in Constantinople (present-

day Istanbul in Turkey), they were acquainted with an emissary to China. Over the few days that they spent

together, they got along very well. The emissary told them that Kublai Khan had never seen an Italian and he

would definitely be thrilled to have the chance to meet with them, and would certainly bestow them with rich

rewards. With that, Nicolo and Matteo Polo left with the emissary for China.

- 8 -

In 1266, they arrived in the royal city of Kublai Khan, who hosted a grand feast to welcome the foreign

visitors.


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- 9 -

Life in China was pleasant and happy, but soon, Nicolo and Matteo Polo started to miss their families in Italy.

They decided to return to Italy. Upon knowing of their impending departure, Kublai Khan assigned a special

mission to the Polo brothers. He wanted them to send a letter from him to the Pope in Rome. In his letter,

Kublai Khan requested the Pope to dispatch a hundred scholars who were well-versed in Christian doctrine,

astronomy, geography to China and research with the local scholars.

- 10 -

After hearing his father's story about China, Marco Polo was scarcely satisfied. He hungered for more

knowledge about China. He asked his father, "What is China like?". To that, his father replied, "China is a land

of mountains, rivers and lakes. There are deserts and prairies. It is beautiful. It is a huge country, bigger than

any country in the world in terms of its size and population. It is the richest country ever."

- 11 -

Marco Polo had seemingly endless questions about China for his father. Nicolo Polo told him, jokingly, "Silly

boy, with that many stories about China, I'm afraid I won't be able to finish telling them all to you in three

days."

"That's great! Then I'm not going to eat nor sleep for the next three days and listen to your stories of China,"

smiled Marco Polo, innocently.

From then on, China was transformed into a giant magnet, entrapping the young Marco Polo with wonder and

amazement. Once he got hold of the time, he would tag on to his father and uncle, and tirelessly implored them

to tell him more about their experiences in China. In the end, he was even able to memorize every detail that

was told to him. He realized then that he had come to a point where neither his father nor his uncle was able to

satisfy his curiosity about China. He decided, thus, to visit China. He wanted to find out for himself how

mystical this country in the orient really was.

- 12 -

Soon, Marco Polo was able to muster his courage and proposed to his father his wish to visit China. His father

objected staunchly to his request. He told his son, "This is a critical time for your growth into a fine, young


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man. What you really have to do is to attend school and receive a formal education. It's not your time to go out

there and endure all sorts of hardships. Financially, I'm able to fulfill your every need."

- 13 -

Marco Polo reacted to his father 's words with great disappointment. He was a sensible child and completely

understood his father's thoughts. Yet he was also fervently seeking to explore a world that was more exciting

and vast than Venice. Unable to fulfill his dreams, Marco Polo became very sulky and withdrawn, and could

not bring himself to be interested in anything else.

- 14 -

Seeing that, Matteo Polo decided to plead with Nicolo Polo on his nephew's behalf. He told him that Marco

Polo was an attentive, brave, strong and intelligent child, destined to be an explorer. It would give him more

opportunities to excel in life if they were to take him along to China.

- 15 -

Nicolo Polo said, "I do not doubt his abilities. What I'm worried about is the distance and the traveling. I don't

think he has the physical strength for that. On top of that, we won't know how many years he would be away,

and as such, he would miss out on his education. Anyway, I wish to see him becoming a merchant here in

Venice, instead of an explorer."

- 16 -

Matteo Polo did not let the matter rest. He continued to persuade his brother, "I don't agree with you. Haven't

we always regarded Venetian merchants as natural born travelers? We are apt in exploring different parts of

the world, making friends along the way, and widening our world of knowledge. All these have helped us in

our business, and they do not pose any harm to our growth."

- 17 -

Thanks to his uncle's strong persuasion and his own persistent pleas, Marco Polo finally gained his father's

approval to let him follow him on his next journey to China. Marco Polo was so thrilled that he jumped for joy.

- 18 -


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In 1271, the 17-year-old Marco Polo started on his journey with his father and uncle, along with over ten other

travel companions. With the Pope's reply and exquisite gifts for Kublai Khan carefully secured among their

luggage, Nicolo Polo and Matteo Polo led their expedition to the East, and brought Marco Polo one step closer

to his dream of China.


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Chapter Two: A Journey Filled with Adventures

From Venice, Nicolo Polos expedition journeyed to the Mediterranean Sea, upon which they crossed the

Black Sea and arrived at the ancient city of Baghdad in the Middle East. They would then travle to the seaport

of Hormuz, from which they would board a boat and sail directly to China. None of them expected though, that

a mishap was awaiting them.

- 1 -

While making purchases in a small town, the expedition was targeted by a band of bandits. In the night, they

were seized and locked up by the bandits. Marco Polo and his father managed to escape but when they

returned with help, the bandits were gone. Thereafter, they were stranded for two months in Hormuz as none of

the boats were heading towards China. Left without a better option, they decided to travel on land to China.

- 2 -

The expedition soon arrived at the south-eastern part of present-day Iran, where they have to travel across the

Iranian plateau. Here, they entered an unfriendly terrain of wide spans of wilderness, and endless deserts,

posing danger and toil to their journey. Yet, it was the only land route by which they could travel to China.

They were left with no other choice.

- 3 -

Three days into the desert, and they found themselves facing a massive obstacle. The water they brought along

was depleted and both men and animals were badly dehydrated. Before them, the desert stretched into infinity.

No one knew how long more it would take for them to reach the other end. Every time when Marco Polo saw a

trace of cloud hovering in the sky above them, he wished fervently that it would bring a downpour. Each time,

however, as they journeyed into the night, all they could see in the sky was the lucid moon and stars that

sprinkled across the vastness like jewels. There was not even a drop of dew in sight, let alone rain.

- 4 -

Deep in the night, Marco Polo was unable to get to sleep. Tossing and turning, his heart was filled with

anxiety. If this carries on, he thought, how would they ever continue on their journey in the desert? He got up

stealthily and went in search of water all by himself.

- 5 -


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Guided by the moonlight, Marco Polo ventured into the empty desert ahead of him. After walking for about

three hours, in the slowly illuminating dawn of the day, he discovered an oasis. Water, at last! Marco Polo was

overjoyed. As he took a gulp of water from the oasis, he was shocked by the taste of the water, which was salty

and bitter. He could scarcely bring himself to swallow it despite his thirst. He finally forced himself to drink

the water to quench his thirst. Then he filled up a leather bag and took it back to camp.

- 6 -

The expedition continued on its journey. Midway, Marco Polo was attacked by a violent churning in his

stomach and began vomiting and experiencing diarrhea. He lost energy in his legs and was unable to take a

step forward. Fighting the urge to simply collapse on the ground, Marco Polo told himself that this was not the

right time to fall.He was determined to persevere and move on. It was his choice to go to China, and there

would be more obstacles ahead. He must persist to his destination.

- 7 -

With that in mind, Marco Polo encouraged himself onwards. Finally, he and his fellow travelers succeeded in

crossing over the Iranian Plateau. They continued to move ahead and traveled across the Pamir Plateau, and at

last, arrived in Xinjiang of China.

- 8 -

In Kashgar, Marco Polo was enthralled by the myriad of sights, sounds and scents of the town. In Khotan, they

saw a wide variety of gemstones, ranging from the snowy pearl white ones, to the fiery red, and those that were

as dark as night. They were equally amazed by the sizes of the stones, which reached a hefty weight of 10

pounds and measured over 30 centimeters in diameter.

- 9 -

From Khotan, they proceeded towards the northeast, and in a few days, they started to cross another desert

Taklamakan Desertreputed for its extreme dryness. It was not easy finding water in this desert, and when

they did, the water was bitter and pungent. It was reminiscent of their journey across the Iranian Plateau.

Marco Polo and his companions had picked the shortest route across the desert, but even then, it would take at

least a month to complete the journey.


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- 10 -

The days passed slowly. It was a trying feat to journey across a desert with an unending vastness, with scarcely

a change in scene as they went along. It was such a dull experience that caused one to be depressed. The most

dangerous part of it was the fluctuating hallucinations that might mislead them off their course, resulting in

them losing their way and perish in the desert.

- 11 -

Once, Marco Polo heard someone calling his name:Marco, Marco

He walked towards the direction where the voice was coming from and asked, Who is there? Whos calling

my name?

Nobody is! shouted Nicolo Polo. Keep close to one another. Do not leave the group.

- 12 -

Later, Nicolo Polo explained to his mystified son, Such phenomenon is common in the desert. It is a

hallucination. It is crucial that you have to stay calm, and not be led astray. The worst-case scenario in

traveling across the desert is to lose ones way in it.

- 13 -

Finally, the journey across the treacherous desert came to an end. They arrived safely in the city of

Dunhuang.Marco Polo found that there were many temples in such cities situated at the fringe of the desert

consecrating an assortment of Buddha images. Many of the residents in these cities prayed at these temples.

- 14 -

Not long after, they reached the present-day Ejinaqi in Inner Mongolia. There, they proudly showed a

Mongolian military officer the imperial gold medallion bestowed by Kublai Khan. Upon seeing it, the officer

told them, The Great Khan has been expecting you for a long time! He would be delighted to know that you

are finally here!

- 15 -


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Escorted by the army troops, Marco Polo and his father and uncle, along with his travel companions, arrived a

week later at their destinationShangduthe upper capital of the Yuan Dynasty. It was the year 1275, four

years from the day that first departed Venice.

Chapter Three: Honorary Guests of the Khan

Shangdu was originally known as Kaiping County. It was here that the imperial palace was located when

Kublai Khan ruled over the vassal states in the region. It was located in the southern border of the great

Mongolian Prairie, with the vast desert area to the north and central plains to the south. Its geographical

location was strategic.

- 1 -

In 1260, Kublai Khan ascended to the throne in Shangdu, which was thus named as the capital city. In 1271,

which was the year Marco Polo and his expedition set off from Venice, Kublai Khan formally named his reign

the Yuan Dynasty. The following year, he shifted the capital to Dadu, present-day Beijing.

- 2 -

When Marco Polo arrived in the city of Shangdu, it was already a developed, enchanting city. The city was

located to the north and faced the south, and it was surrounded by high, sturdy walls. The city walls were

equipped with watch towers, and were closely guarded by full-armored soldiers, ensuring the safety of the city.

- 3 -

The streets in the city were wide and spacious. People of all races, dressed in various odd-looking costumes,

thronged the streets. On each side of the streets were neat arrays of shops, restaurants, residential houses,

temples. When Marco Polo and his expedition entered the city via its gate, the soldiers that guarded the gate

stood at attention and raised their weapons as a sign of respect.

- 4 -

Marco Polo drank in the sights before him, and was silently in awe of the prosperity of the city. He thought to


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himself how all the hardships that he had gone through for the past four years were truly worth it for all that he

saw before him. He had not a single tinge of regret for following his father and uncle to this place.

- 5 -

Soon, they found themselves stopping in front of another city gateMingde Gatethe front gate of the

imperial city. The imperial city was located towards the southeastern part of the upper city. Quadrilateral in

structure, and surrounded by high city walls, the imperial city was safely segregated from the outer city. Once

they reached the palace, the guards went in to report to Kublai Khan of their arrival. To welcome Marco Polo

and his party to China, Kublai Khan had, much earlier, arranged for a great feast for them, attended by all the

court officials. It was the grandest banquet Marco Polo had ever seen in his life. He was incredibly excited to

be able to share the moment with all the members of the royal family, as well as the court officials. During the

banquet, Kublai Khan welcomed his guests with a toast to Nicolo Polo and Matteo Polo, "Lets toast to

welcome my emissaries, who had traveled a long distance to get here!"

- 6 -

Marco Polo seized the chance to scrutinize the leader of Mongolia. He saw that Kublai Khan was of average

built, looked fit and strong, with a calm demeanor. His face was red and glowing, and his eyes were black and

they sparkled. He appeared to Marco Polo to be a wise and noble leader. During this first meeting, Kublai

Khan left an impressive impression on Marco Polos mind.

- 7 -

The next day, early in the morning, Marco Polo, his father and his uncle were summoned to meet with Kublai

Khan. Nicolo Polo presented the letter of the Pope and gifts to the emperor, and formally introduced Marco

Polo to him.

- 8 -

Kublai Khan looked at this young man standing in front of him and wondered if he was as capable as his father

and uncle. He asked Marco Polo, "When you were traveling past Afghanistan, what opinion do you have with

regard to its fortresses?"

Marco Polo answered, "Your majesty, the fortresses of Afghanistan were heavily guarded by its troops. Many

of its cities were built against the valley. It is a country that would not be easily attacked and defeated."


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"How about Badda?"

"The people of Badda are Muslims, and it is abundant in producing wheat and gemstones. It is also endowed

with fine horses and sheep. It would take 12 days to travel across its entire territory."

"How many days, then, from Badda to Turkey?"

"Thirty days, towards northeastern direction."

Kublai Khan nodded. He could see that this young man with his blond hair and blue eyes had an exceptional

memory and an eloquence that far surpassed his father and uncle.

- 9 -

He told Marco Polo, "Very well! I have the maps of that region that are very old. I wish that you could help me

amend them. I would be very grateful!"

- 10 -

"Thank you, your majesty! I will certainly try my very best!" Marco Polo agreed, delightedly. He was

surprised to obtain this early chance to show Kublai Khan his talents, as well as gaining his recognition. Both

Nicolo and Matteo Polo were astounded by the conversation between Kublai Khan and Marco Polo. They had

least expected Marco Polo to be so attentive as to note down everything that he saw along the way. Meanwhile,

they were equally happy to see that it was right to bring Marco Polo to China.

- 11 -

Kublai Khan continued, "Im sure you are aware that the khans of Mongolia are constantly fighting for

dominance, especially at Kaidu, the fights are unceasingly frequent, which jeopardize our diplomatic

relationship with I khanate and Kipchak Khanate. Hence, its imperative that we must defeat Kaidu. Since you

had traveled past that region, whats your view on this?"

- 12 -

Nicolo and Matteo Polo met the expectant eyes of the great Khan, and started to feel nervous. They were


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successful merchants and experienced travelers. However, politics was a subject that they hardly considered

and was rather unfamiliar to them.

- 13 -

It was at this moment that Marco Polo spoke, "Your majesty, all the way from Acre to the upper city, I had

made some reservations, such as the terrain, produce, cultural practices of the place, which I had recorded. I

wonder if they would be of use to your majesty."

Kublai Khan was overjoyed. He said delightfully, "Thats amazing! This is the basic item that a ruler must

possess. Tell me all about them now!"

Hence, Marco Polo started describing to Kublai Khan, all the countries that he had passed along his journey.

He was comprehensive, detailed and lively in his description of what he had recorded.

- 14 -

Kublai Khan developed an immense interest in Marco Polo, who appeared to him as a sincere young man. Not

only had he mastered both the Persian and Mongolian languages while on his journey, he had even made

detailed observations of the places that he had visited and thought seriously about them. Kublai Khan projected

that he would engage the service of this attentive and intelligent young man to be of service to the Mongolian

empire.

- 15 -

Once, Kublai Khan asked Marco Polo, "Tell me, how should a man live so that his life would not be in vain?"

"Well, I feel that he must have the ambition to learn new things every day. If he doesnt, he would have wasted

a day."

Kublai Khan laughed heartily, "Both of us have very similar opinions!"

He went on, "So tell me what you like."

"I love to travel, and spend time learning and understanding all the interesting things I see at various places


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that I visit. Other than the physical landscape that varies from place to place, I would also take note of the

various lifestyles of the people. I would write them down so that it would help me relive the memory of these

places."

"So what is it that you are able to help me record?"

"I feel that the records of certain things are must have for a ruler, such as the taxation of a region, the produce

of various regions, its cities, roads, rivers, natural disasters, the places that its troops are stationed and those

that are at war. All of these, your majesty, are things that I would carefully record for you."

Upon hearing what Marco Polo said, Kublai Khan found that he had become increasingly fond of him.

- 16 -

Kublai Khan invited Marco Polo and his family to take residence in the city, and bestowed them a beautiful

mansion. He even dispatched over 30 maid servants to take care of their daily needs.

- 17 -

One day, Kublai Khan told his eldest son Chingen- Temur, "You must bear in mind that one day, you will

inherit my throne. Hence, you must be diligent in acquiring knowledge. When it comes to geography, you can

consult Marco Polo."

- 18 -

The Crown Prince Chingen and Marco Polo were rather close in terms of their ages. However, they also shared

many common interests and hence, they spent many hours together learning and playing. They soon became

fast friends. Unfortunately, Prince Chingen was inflicted with epilepsy.

- 19 -

One day, Marco Polo was out hunting with the Crown Prince. When they were pursuing a wild boar, the prince

was struck by epilepsy. He fell off his horse, and his body went into a fit, foaming from his mouth and

groaning in agony. Marco Polo was shocked, and he was unprepared for the right course of action to take

without any servants in tow. He tried calming himself down, and decided to help Prince Chingen. He knelt

beside the prince, and took off his belt, putting it between the teeth of the prince so that he would not bite off


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his own tongue. Then Marco Polo held the prince closely to him, supporting his body and released his collar.

He kept comforting him, until the prince overcame his fit.

- 20 -

Following this incident, Kublai Khan expressed to Marco Polo, "I am grateful to you for saving the Crown

Princes life. Other than that, please keep the princes affliction an absolute secret as only the three of us are

aware of it."Marco Polo realized then that he had become a confidante of Kublai Khans family.


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Chapter Four: Exciting Encounters in the Orient

One day, Kublai Khan assigned Marco Polo with the task of surveying and investigating the southits

agriculture and handicrafts industry. He was given 6 to 12 months to complete his task. To Marco Polo, it was

the perfect task.

- 1 -

Shortly, Marco Polo bid farewell to his father and uncle, and set off from the capital city. As it was a time-

consuming endeavor to cover the entire southern region, he decided to begin inspecting the regions in the east

first. Hence, they headed towards the southeast.

- 2 -

After some time, Marco Polo and his expedition arrived at the Yellow River. Upon crossing the river, they

arrived at the city of Huai-an. Huai-an was a prosperous port and trading center. From here, Marco Polo

traveled along the Causeway, cut across the Yellow River Delta, and arrived at Baoying, the city that produced

silk. After passing through several smaller cities, they arrived at Jiangdu and arrived three days later at

Yangzhou, the leading producer of salt. Yangzhou had ports that spanned several miles, as well as numerous

temples and houses. At some of the major saltpans in the region, a multitude of workers could be seen working

diligently under the watchful eyes of the supervisors. The workers put together huge mountains of salt, and

water was filtered through them. The salty water would then be channeled via pipelines into gigantic troughs,

where it would be heated to boiling point, thus producing high-quality pure salt. Due to the very much

developed salt industry, the city was heavily taxed every year.

- 3 -

From Yangzhou, they continued to head towards the Yangtze River. That day, as the wide expanse of the

Yangtze River fell into Marco Polos view, he was awed into silence. He stood by the river for along time,

reflecting on all the great rivers he had once passed. The Tigris River and the Yellow River, both of which he

had seen, were unable to match the grandeur of the great Yangtze River. The banks of the Yangtze River were

very far apart from each other. Through the thin layer of mist, it was almost impossible to see clearly what was

on the other side. On the river, boats and vessels of all sizes thronged the busy waterway. One particularly

huge boat caught Marco Polos attention. It consisted of towering bow and stern, four masts, and a sail that


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It was said that if Suzhou were the City of the Earth, then Hangzhou would be the City of Heaven. Every

visitor to Hangzhou was arrested by its amazing beauty. It was as if they had arrived in heaven. Likewise,

Marco Polo was full of praise and totally agreed that the reputation of Hangzhou as the City of Heaven was

not an overstatement.

- 8 -

Beginning in 1127, Hangzhou had been the capital city of the Southern Song Dynasty. Hangzhou had a radius

of over a hundred li, and was criss-crossed by a vast number of rivers. The rivers directed the filth and garbage

away from the city, which kept the city clean and hygienic; its air constantly fresh and crisp. The streets of

Hangzhou are wide and spacious, and horse-drawn carriages traversed the streets without obstruction. The

water transportation was well-developed, too. The stone bridges that straddled the river were built to reach

high altitude, facilitating the passing of large vessels. On the sides of the streets were beautiful houses

constructed using fine-quality wood. The pillars and beams of the houses were exquisitely crafted, adding to

the grandeur of their appearances. Within the city were countless market sand trading areas, and 10 major

squares. Each square spanned a radius of half a li, and there were surrounded by tall buildings. The ground

floor of the buildings were used as shops, selling an assortment of products, ranging from jewels to clothing

and food, as well as Persian rugs and imported spices. Every three days of the week, every market would have

poultry, wild games, fruit, vegetables and fish for sale. Every cart was filled to the brim, and yet was wiped

clean towards the end of the day.

- 9 -

Marco Polo got hold of the population of the city, which numbered at over 1.6 million households. Baseon a

figure of 5 people per household, and excluding the servants, transient workers, and visitors to the city, the

actual population of the city would have reached an astronomical figure. Another city of such scale could

hardly be found elsewhere in the world.

- 10 -

Other than its advancements in trade, one could also find many grand palaces, education institutions and

temples in the city of Hangzhou. The residents of the city were friendly and kind, and were well mannered and

hospitable. Marco Polo was delighted to have the chance to interact with them.

Another thing that caught Marco Polos interest was the number of bathhouses in the city, which numbered


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hundreds. Every day, the bath houses were thronged by a large number of bathers. This showed that the people

of Hangzhou were very particular about personal cleanliness and hygiene.

- 11 -

There was a huge library in Hangzhou which housed a large collection of scrolls and books, as well as the

archives of the Song Dynasty (9601279),poems, novels and religious scriptures. It was in this library that

Marco Polo discovered a rare find, a movable-type printing machine. With such a machine, up to a hundred

books could be printed over a few days, leaving behind the arduous task of copying the text by hand. Marco

Polo was amazed by this invention. He pondered how wonderful it would be if this invention could be brought

to the west, thereby making books easily available to the masses, instead of having the power of knowledge in

books held in the hands of only the church, the nobles and the wealthy.

- 12 -

Marco Polo was also impressed by the taxation bureau of Hangzhou. There, he perused the annual taxation

report, and calculated that its total annual taxation came up to 22.4 million gold coins.

- 13 -

As Marco Polo was an important guest, he was put up at the citys most luxurious hotel. Its main chef was the

imperial chef of the Southern Song Dynasty. Comparing to the delicious cuisine that he had eaten in the city,

the food that he tasted at the hotel was truly unforgettable.

- 14 -

After completing his official duties, Marco Polo extended his stay in Hangzhou for another two weeks. He

visited various places in the city and had an unforgettable time. Finally, he bid farewell to this beloved city of

his, Hangzhou.

- 15 -

Marco Polo and his expedition continued towards the southeast and arrived at Fujian. Primarily, he wanted to

inspect two seaport cities, Fuzhou and Xiamen, at which the volume of imports far exceeded that of Hangzhou.

At Fujian, Marco Polo saw massive sailboats that were built to sail across oceans. These boats were usually

equipped with more than four masts, and were navigated by six people. Before this, Marco Polo had only


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heard of such sailboats. Foreign traders frequently traded ivory tusks, pearls and ambergris with the Chinese.

All these products were tagged to a tax of 10% and 30% to 40% freight charges, yet the merchants were still

able to make a decent profit from it.

- 16 -

Boarded a ship captained by an Arab, Marco Polo set his course back to Hangzhou. The captain showed him a

compass, which was an invention of the Chinese people. With the compass, it would certainly be safer to sail

across the oceans.

- 17 -

Once Marco Polo reached Hangzhou, he swiftly boarded an imperial vessel and returned to the capital city,

Dadu, via the Grand Canal.

- 18 -

What truly surprised and touched Marco Polo, as he sailed into Dadu, was finding out that the Crown Prince

had come to the pier to welcome him back. The Crown Prince told him that all the reports and data that he had

collected during his expedition were highly regarded by the emperor and the imperial officials. Hence, every

person in the city, from the mass to the noble, was anticipating every detail that he had recorded. Before him,

there had never been any other individual or project that had researched so deeply and comprehensively into

the southeastern and southern regions of China. The Crown Prince declared to Marco Polo, You have

unveiled a world that is filled with wonder.

- 19 -

Back at the imperial court, Marco Polo presented his final report to the 12-men Privy Council. Kublai Khan

then personally conferred to him an imperial decree and a gold medallion imprinted with the image of a lion.

- 20 -

Before Marco Polo traveled south, many court officials had suggested to Kublai Khan to attack the south, and

to conquer that region by force. What Marco Polo had presented in his report supported the initial viewpoint of

Kublai Khan with reference to this issue. It reinforced his determination to continue proper management of the


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A few days later, they arrived in Yangzhou. The local officials threw a grand ceremony to welcome him.

- 27 -

Within Yangzhous jurisdiction were 24 cities and towns, which were all very advanced in trade and the

handicrafts industry, and were famous for weaponry. Owing to that, many military troops were stationed at

Yangzhou, making it a vital location.

- 28 -

As his first time in Yangzhou, Matteo Polo felt that the city was dotted with bridges and streams, very much

like their hometown, Venice. Marco Polo commented that both Yangzhou and Venice were aworld of

difference.

- 29 -

The reason why Marco Polo made such a comment was the fact that over the two times that he had visited

Yangzhou, he had developed a better understanding of the city. By that time, Yangzhou was conquered by the

Mongolians, and their sovereignty was apparent all over the city. What struck Marco Polo the most was the

cold, apathetic expression that was splashed over the faces of the common people. The streets were taken over

by the military officers assigned by Kublai Khan to collect taxes. They watched over every transaction that

took place, ensuring that all items were taxed, including pedestrians who passed by a particular stretch of the

road or a bridge. Marco Polo could not help but wonder what it would be like if the exact same scene were to

take place in his hometown, Venice. How would the common people and merchants there react to such

exorbitant taxes and levies?

- 30 -

It was not untrue that the wealth generated in the Yangzhou region was astonishing. Yet to the majority of the

common people, the wealth of the city had no relations to them. All the money had fallen straight into the

possessions of the imperial treasury and the Mongolian nobles. Despite unifying China, the Mongolians were

incompetent in the governing, developing and managing of the southern region. All they were interested in was

to enslave the common people and generate wealth.

- 31 -


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Later, whenever Marco Polo recalled his contributions to the Mongolian rulers over the southern part of China

and how they had affected the people there, he would not have a single tinge of pride. Despite working for the

Mongol empire, Marco Polo remained a Westerner, and he would always shave a different insight of what he

witnessed in China, as a foreigner.

- 32 -

Other than Yangzhou, Marco Polo also visited a number of cities in the region.

- 33 -

The city of Suzhou had a radius of over 60 li, and all over the city were streams and bridges, and was a

beautiful and tranquil place. The city had a total of more than 12,000 bridges of all sizes. It was a key producer

of silk and satin fabric, and was densely populated.

- 34 -

Guazhou was a center of water transportation, and many rivers and canals ran through the city. Marco Polo

was very impressed by the Grand Canal, which connected the northern and southern parts of China into a huge

network of waterways. It ran an extremely long course and everywhere it passed, the common people who

resided at its banks would reap great benefits from the trade. Aided by sturdy and wide embankments, land

transportation along the canals were well developed and convenient as well.

- 35 -

At Changzhou, Marco Polo found that the common people were hateful of the Mongolians. Upon

investigation, he realized that it was because the Mongolian troops had massacred many innocent folks in this

city.

- 36 -

Marco Polo felt that he had accomplished tremendously in this particular trip to the region to the South of the

Yangtze River. Not only had he completed his task in studying the taxation of the region, he had also compiled

a comprehensive report on trade, water conservancy and transportation in the south.


23/41

- 37 -

When he returned from the south, Marco Polo took on the position of the emperors special envoy, and began

his next task of inspecting the western regions of China.

- 38 -

Traveling west from Dadu, Marco Polo and his expedition soon found themselves at Yongding River, located

16 kilometers from Dadu. Lugou Bridge, which straddled the river, caught the keen interest of Marco Polo.

This stone bridge measures three hundred steps in length and eight steps in width, with the capacity to carry

over ten people on horsebacks simultaneously. The bridge was thronged with people, carriages and horses; it

was a vibrant sight to behold. The railings of the bridge were decorated with over 500 stunningly beautiful

marble carvings that depicted lions of varying sizes. Marco Polo commented to his travel companion, This is

the most magnificent bridge I have ever seen! Venice maybe well known for its bridges, but they are simply

uncomparable to this particular bridge.

- 39 -

From Lugou Bridge, Marco Polo traveled for 50kilometers westward, and arrived at Zhuozhou. Here, the land

was rich and fertile and its trade well developed. There were vineyards all over the place, and Marco Polo

delighted in feasting on the grapes, growing in abundance. Zhuozhou was also a major producer of silk and

satin fabrics.

- 40 -

Marco Polo then continued southwesterly and ten days later, arrived at Taiyuan. From there, he and his

expedition continued their journey for another seven days, and arrived at the city of Linfen. There, Marco Polo

saw the beautiful Yellow River again. There were dense forestation along the banks of the river, and it was a

perfect sanctuary for birds and other wildlife. There were also many villages and cities developed alongside the

banks.

- 41 -

Crossing the Yellow River, Marco Polo and his expedition arrived at Xian, an ancient yet majestic ancient

capital city of the Han Dynasty (206 BC220AD) and Tang Dynasty (618907), among many others. At that

time, Xian was still a big trading center of mainland China, and it was well developed with a good


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- 47 -

Other than inspection of various countries and regions, one of the main contributions of Marco Polo to Yuan

government was assisting the emperor in eliminating the traitorous minister, Ahmad Fanakati.

- 48 -

Ahmad once suggested to the emperor to prohibit private salt trading. At the same time, he rallied to develop a

national steel industry. All these efforts helped to alleviate the financial crisis that affected the nation at that

time. Because of that, he was highly regarded by the emperor, who supported Ahmad in almost every

suggestion he brought up. However, Ahmad, who was then favored by the emperor, started becoming arrogant,

and fell into a series of corruption and law-breaking activities. The emperor was kept in the dark.

- 49 -

Finally, the Crown Prince decided to report on Ahmad. He went to Kublai Khan, and informed him of all the

misdeeds that Ahmad had been engaging in. To his astonishment, the emperor believed none of what he heard.

The Crown Prince was utterly disappointed. Marco Polo encouraged him to practice patience. He said, A fox

wont be able to hide its tail for long. As long as we are prepared, and patient, once he lets his tail out, we will

nab him.

- 50 -

Indeed, the common people soon found Ahmadatrocities intolerable and revolted against him. Every day,

Ahmads victims would gather outside the courthouse and tearfully appealed for justice to be served. After a

period of time, such events caught the attention of the emperor. He consulted Marco Polo and asked for his

opinions. To this request, Marco Polo told the emperor everything that he knew with regard to Ahmads evil

deeds. Finally, the emperor realized that Ahmad was an evil man, and ordered for him to be executed.

- 51 -

The Crown Prince was extremely pleased with the outcome. He was thankful to Marco Polo for his role in

successfully persuading the emperor, and putting the matter to rest at last.

-


26/41

Chapter Five: A Glorious Homecoming

Time flew, before long, Marco Polo, his father and his uncle had served in the Yuan Dynasty court for more

than 10 years. They began missing home and long to return to Venice. Meanwhile, they were considering the

fact that Kublai Khan was getting older and might die anytimeif they did not leave when he was still alive,

they could very well not get the permission to leave for home.

- 1 -

Marco Polo had brought up the issue of returning to Venice to the emperor a number of times, but the emperor

could not bear to see him leave. He advised Marco Polo to not risk his life again, as the journey home would

be paved with dangers and obstacles. He also promised Marco Polo that if they stayed, he would give them

anything they wanted.

- 2 -

One day, three envoys from Iekhanate (Persia) came to China with a marriage proposal. Kublai Khan agreed to

it and bestowed Princess Cocachin to the Persian king. The envoys was preparing for the journey back to

Persia, but was stranded in the capital due to military conflicts between the Mongol warlords, causing the

roads to be impassable.

- 3 -

At that time, Marco Polo had just returned from a mission to India. He went to the emperor immediately and

reported to him his experiences on his journey. The three envoys got wind of it, and was certain that Marco

Polo was a competent navigator. They requested Marco Polo to escort them to Persia aboard his ship. This was

great news to the Polo family. They requested the envoys to formally seek the emperors consent. The emperor

could not bear to see Marco Polo leave, but in the end, he relented. However, he requested Marco Polo to

return to China after they had stayed in Italy for some time. Marco Polo agreed.

- 4 -

Kublai Khan bestowed Marco Polo, as well as his father and his uncle, two gold medallions and many valuable

items. He ordered 14 vessels, carrying enough food and supplies to last for two years, to go along with Marco

Polo. Kublai Khan also wrote several letters for Marco Polo to be delivered to the kings of France, England

and Spain.

- 5 -


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In 1291, Marco Polo and his father and his uncle finally set sail from Quanzhou of Fujian Province, leaving

behind the China that they had resided in for the last 17 years.

- 6 -

Under the commission of the emperor, Marco Polo took great care of Princess Cocachin, who regarded Marco

Polo and his family as her own. The conditions at sea were unpredictable and the journey at sea was full of

perils. It took them two-and-a-half years to reach Persia. Of the 1,600 workers and sailors who boarded the

ships at Quanzhou, only 18 remained when the party disembarked at Persia.

- 7 -

When Marco Polo arrived in Persia, King Arghun had already passed away. According to local customs,

Princess Cocachin was married to the succeeding King Ghazan.

- 8 -

In Persia, Marco Polo and his family rested for nine months. When they were about to set sail for Venice,

Cocachin gave them four gold medallions as presents. Engraved on the medallions were the royal decree of

King Ghazan, with the instruction to provide Marco Polo and his family horses, travel expenses and armed

guards along the way. Because of this, Marco Polo and his family were warmly received everywhere they

stopped at along the journey.

- 9 -

During his journey, Marco Polo received the news that Kublai Khan had passed away. He was devastated and

dismissed his plan to return to China. To Marco Polo, Kublai Khan was a brave, wise and just ruler. Later, he

had this to say about Kublai Khan: This is a man who was only second to god. He was the wisest and most

capable person, a great ruler of his people and empire, and also the finest character.

- 10 -

At last, the trade vessel sailed through the Dardanelles Strait, the Aegean Sea, and entered the Adriatic Sea.

The vessel carried on towards the northwestern direction, and proceeded slowly to Venice. As Venice

gradually came into their view, Marco Polo and his family were swept by a massive wave of emotion.

- 11 -


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When Marco Polo left Venice, he was only a 17-year-old young man. Now, he was 42 years old, donning a

thick beard.

- 12 -

Setting foot on their homeland for the first time in over two decades, the three men broke into tears. Soon, they

were in disagreement on how they should appear in front of their fellow countrymen.

- 13 -

Nicolo Polo suggested putting on the most beautiful silk clothing, bejeweled rings and a hat decorated with

pearls. This would make them stand out from the crowd as someone who had both wealth and status. Matteo

Polo suggested that they should send someone to inform their family and relatives, so that they would be

prepared for their return. Marco Polo disagreed with them, saying that they should give their family and

relatives a surprise. He also warned them against showing off their wealth. At Marco Polos insistence, his

father and uncle decided to follow his advice.

- 14 -

The three men checked into a local hotel. After dinner, all three of them put on Mongolian outfits, which were

brand new when they departed China, and had now become rather worn-out after being at sea for the last

couple of years. However, Marco Polo felt that more needed to be done, and went on to tear a few holes in his

clothes.

- 15 -

They finally came to their house. He stood on the step in front of the door and rang the bell.

- 16 -

Who is it? came a voice from the house.

- 17 -

Its me, Marco Polo. He struggled to keep speak Italian accurately, as he had already become more familiar

with the Mongolian language.

- 18 -


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body came to the door as everyone in the house thought someone was playing a prank on them. Marco Polo

rang the bell again, announcing loudly his name, as well as his fathers and uncles names.

- 19 -

There was a brief moment of hesitation in the house. Everyone thought the three men had long perished in a

foreign land, how could they possibly show up now?

- 20 -

Finally, someone opened the door. He scrutinized the three men, who looked very much like vagabonds. After

sometime, he was finally able to identify them. They were indeed Nicolo Polo, Matteo Polo, and Marco Polo!

- 21 -

The neighbors soon got wind of these three mens return, and came to see them. They had loads of questions

for them, and Marco Polo, his father and uncle answered them tirelessly. They were all excited to share with

them all their experiences in the last 24 years.

- 22 -

Several days later, they held a scrumptious feast for all their relatives and friends. Once the guests were all

settled at the tables, Marco Polo got the servant to bring a basin of water for them to wash their hands. They

were rather puzzled by this gesture, to which Marco Polo explained that it was a habit of the Mongolians to

wash their hands before eating, so that they could pick up their food with clean hands.

- 22 -

It was a marvelous feast, and the guests were especially taken by the variety of Oriental cuisines. It was an eye

opener for them. There was a dish that was made up of something long, thin, white and soft, which was

smelled delicious. All the guests put in great effort in picking it up with their forks, but to no avail. They

turned to look at the hosts, and saw that Marco Polo and his father and uncle were holding between their

fingers, two thin sticks. They appeared to be rather apt with them, which appeared to be really useful in

picking up food from the plate. The guest asked them eagerly what those two sticks were, and what it was that

they were eating. Marco Polo told them that the pairs of sticks that they were using were called chopsticks,

and the long and thin stuff was called noodles.

- 24 -


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en the feast began, Marco Polo, his father and uncle were wearing long, red robes. Once they were seated at

the table, they changed into cotton clothing, and gave the long robes to their servants. They explained to the

guests that such was a Mongolian custom. After several courses of food, the trio changed into clothing made of

goose feathers, and gave the cotton clothing to their servants, just like the first time. At the end of the feast,

they were changed into casual clothing, and likewise, gave the goose feather clothing to their servants.

- 25 -

The guests were all surprised by their generosity. They did not understand how they could bear to give such

expensive clothing to their servants. What happened afterwards truly shocked them. Marco Polo took out the

torn and tattered clothing that they were wearing when they arrived in Venice. Then he used a sharp knife and

cut open the seams of the clothing, exposing a number of rare jewels. Before long, the table was covered with

sparkling gemstones. What actually happened was, before the trio left China, they converted all their money

into rare gemstones. Who would have thought of this ingenious way of hiding these precious gems in their

clothing? The guests were all dazzled by the fine jewels, which were as big as grapes, and came in a multitude

of colors. The guests enjoyed the night tremendously, and they embraced the three hosts, expressing their

admiration and respect for them. All of them agreed unanimously that Marco Polo and his family were the

pride and honor of Venice.

- 26 -

The story of Marco Polo soon spread far and wide. They were visited by a score of Venetians who were all

eager to hear a piece of their exciting experiences in the Orient. Many younger men came to chat with Marco

Polo every day, and asked him all sorts of questions. Marco Polo answered them patiently. Whenever he

mentioned about Kublai Khan, he would say that the emperors revenue was a figure between 1 billion and 1.5

billion. And when it came to the rich natural resources of China, he would also mention similar figures. Soon,

Marco Polo was given the nickname of Millionaire Marco. And his house was also referred to as the

Millionaire Residence.

- 27


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Chapter Six: Authoring a Book in Prison

Soon, Marco Polo had returned to Venice for three years. In 1298, Venice was engaged in a fierce battle with

another trading center of Italy, Genoa, fighting over foreign trade markets. In order to protect himself and the

business interest of Venice, Marco Polo bravely volunteered to fight in the war, and became the commander of

naval fleet.

- 1 -

In one battle, Venice was defeated by Genoa, and Marco Polo lost his consciousness due to an injury. When he

finally regained his consciousness, he found himself lying in the cabin of a Genoa vessel. Confined in the

humid and cramped space with him were tens of Venetian soldiers. He could hear many wounded soldiers

groaning in pain. Upon checking with a soldier next to him, he found out that they had arrived in the port of

Genoa. Marco Polo was overwhelmed by the pain from his injury, and he was so weak that he needed to be

supported by his servant.

- 2 -

His servant felt sorry to see Marco Polo in pain. He implored the Genoa soldiers to give some water to his

master. The soldiers refused. Marco Polos servant pleaded again, "He is our commander, his name is Marco

Polo, a renowned noble and millionaire of Venice." But it was all in vain, the soldiers declined him water.

- 3 -

For the next few days, Marco Polo was delirious with a high fever. In those moments, he felt if he had returned

to China, and began babbling about his experiences in the Orient.

- 4 -

The other prisoners were unconvinced by what they heard from Marco Polos mouth. They felt that he was

lying and gave him a beating. Marco Polos servant was very affected by his masters sufferings, and tried to

protect him. He shouted, "Stop hitting him! What he said was all true!"

- 5 -

Just then, the prison warden walked in. He demanded to know why the prisoners beat up Marco Polo. They


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older than Marco Polo. His cellmate introduced himself as Rustichello, and was from Pisa. He was imprisoned

in a war between Pisa and Genoa.

- 11 -

"I was told that youre a fine storyteller, and the warden is fond of reading the stories you wrote," enquired

Marco Polo.

- 12 -

Rustichello replied, "Yes, Im a writer, and I once wrote the story of King Arthur and the knights at the round

table. As for the warden, he was a keen listener and reader of stories. He was kind to me. I think he expects the

same from you."

- 13 -

"Thats not true.Im not a writer. Im just a merchant. What others heard were experiences that I encountered

when I was traveling abroad," corrected Marco Polo.

- 14 -

"Youre too modest. I heard the stories you spouted during your feverish moments. They are far betterthan

those that I weaved. Im sure you are better than me in making up stories!" Rustichello retorted.

- 15 -

"No, no. What I said was all true. They really happened. I didnt make them up. All the people, the places, and

events, they really existed." Marco Polo tried to convince him.

- 16 -

Rustichello was speechless. He was silent for a moment, before asking Marco Polo, "Where did all the stories

you tell took place? When were you there, and how long were you there for?"

- 17 -


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"I was there since I left home with my father and uncle when I was 17. I lived there for almost 20 years. I only

returned to Venice when I was 42. The place I went was called China."

- 18 -

"China! Almost 20 years!" Rustichello was dumbstruck. He could not believe that this seemingly normal-

looking Venetian actually had such legendary encounters. Not only that, he had had lived there, in such a

faraway country, for a long period of time. He asked Marco Polo excitedly, "Do you still remember what

happened there, all of it?"

- 19 -

"Of course, I do! I will never forget all those events." Marco Polo looked into the distant, and said listlessly.

- 20 -

Rustichello was all excited. He held on to Marco Polos hand and pleaded sincerely, "Sir, if you can put those

stories onto paper, it would be fantastic. It would definitely attract the interest of many people. Dont you want

to share all these experiences of yours? Do you want more people to know about them? These stories are

amazing, and it would be a pity if you dont write them down. Why dont we collaborate? I can help you write

your stories!"

- 21 -

After much consideration, Marco Polo agreed to Rustichellos request.

- 22 -

Rustichello hurriedly sat at his table, took up his pen, laid out a paper, and wrote the following in French:

- 23 -

"To all the kings, generals, ministers, countrymen, and all people. If you wish to understand the different races

in the world, to know more about the sights and sounds, customs and lifestyles of the people, then read the

travelogues of Mr. Marco Polo!"


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- 24 -

"Mr. Marco Polo is an intelligent and learned Venetian. In order for all the people who did not have the

experience of being in another country and take in the sights and sounds of the place and people to share in the

incredible encounters of his, Mr. Marco Polo has decided to share all that he had encountered in simple

languages, with the masses. The time of writing of the book is 1298. It is dictated to and recorded by his friend

Rustichello, in the prison of Genoa"

- 25 -

Just like that, Rustichello spent over four years writing the stories that Marco Polo dictated to him. Together,

they completed the saga, entitled The Travels of Marco Polo.

- 26 -

After The Travels of Marco Polo was published, it became an instant best seller. Its popularity swiftly swept

across the whole of Europe. In the early 14th Century, when Marco Polo was still alive, there were a number of

versions made available in the ancient French language, and various dialects of the Italian and Venetian

languages. They are still well preserved to date. In 1477, the first printed copies ofThe Travels of Marco Polo

were made available to the masses, in the German language, followed by the Latin version.

- 27 -

Owing to the success of the book, Marco Polo rose in fame. As such, Genoa had no choice but to release him

from imprisonment. From then on, Marco Polo resided in Venice, got married and continued with the running

of his trade. He did not travel again. His father Nicolo Polo passed away in 1300, followed by his uncle,

sometime between 1315 and 1320. In January, 1324, Marco Polo fell seriously ill, and he made a will to take

care of his inheritance. After which, no one really knows how long Marco Polo was alive for. It was supposed

that his death occurred after June 1325. His tomb was untraceable. According to his will, he should have been

buried in St Laurence Church, and it was also believed that he was buried at the Church of St. Sorvino. No one

knows how Marco Polo actually looked like. Any image or portrait of him is based on imagination.

- 28


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Chapter Seven: A Great Travelogue

Since Rustichello completed The Travels of Marco Poloduring his imprisonment, based on Marco Polos

dictation, for over 700 years, the book has been translated into many languages. Many scholars read and make

comparisons in many versions available, and carry out many researches on it.

- 1 -

The Travels of Marco Polois comprised of four volumes. The first volume tells the stories of Marco Polos

encounters when he was traveling east, till the time he arrived at the upper capital of the Yuan Dynasty. The

second volume tells the story of Marco Polo as a Yuan Dynasty court official, and his many visits to various

parts of China during his career. The third volume includes Marco Polos travels to Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka,

Indonesia, India, and other islands in the Indian Ocean and East Africa. The fourth volume talks about the

various conquests and wars of Mongolia and its wars with Russia. Each volume is divided into chapters, each

describing a particular historical event, making up a total of 229 chapters.

- 2 -

The Travels of Marco Polo is a book about Asia. It records all the events and situations that happened in East

Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, and Southeast Asia. Many countries and cities are included. Most of Marco

Polos descriptions of cities included their natural landscapes, local produces, weather conditions, trade and

commerce, the people, religions, customs and practices.

- 3 -

The focus ofThe Travels of Marco Polo is undoubtedly China. Marco Polo resided in China for 17 years, and

he traveled widely within the country, covering the regions in the northwest, north, southwestern and the south.

In his travel stories, he eloquently describes the prosperous sights of the Chinese cities, the grandeur of the

majestic palaces, the well developed transportation systems and infrastructure and the limitless extent of

wealth.

- 4 -

The second volume that primarily describes China contains a total of 82 chapters takes up the largest

proportion of the book. Most of the chapters tell the stories of Kublai Khan and the capital of the Yuan

Dynasty, Dadu. Marco Polo describes Dadu as a well organized chess set, and its beauty and perfection are


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beyond words. On the architecture of the imperial palace, he describes the elaborately decorated walls,

ceilings and roofs that were adorned with different vibrant colors, making them look brilliant like crystals seen

from afar. Marco Polo was very impressed by the elegance of the palaces, and the extraordinary dcor of the

interiors. He also described the prosperous sights of Beijing as an advanced and busy trading center, with a

multitude of imported merchandise that far surpassed any other cities in the world. In fact, what he describes as

Dadu was actually present day Beijing. Reading such descriptions in The Travels of Marco Polo certainly

helps one to recreate in the mind the ancient city of Beijing from more than 700 years ago.

- 5 -

Marco Polo also dedicated a section of his book on his beloved Hangzhou. In the book, it is written that

Hangzhou was densely populated with almost 1.6 million houses. The city was clean and neat, and it was

advanced in commerce, with a busy network of land and sea transportations. Marco Polo also mentioned that

the people of Hangzhou were very friendly and hospitable towards foreign traders. He also sang praise of

Xihu, or West Lake and likened his experience in this magnificent city as being in paradise.

- 6 -

Being a trader, Marco Polo made very careful observation of the local produce and commercial activities

whenever he might be. Throughout the history of trade, jewelry, spices and silk of the East had always been

highly regarded by the Westerners. It was no exception that all these merchandises caught the special attention

of Marco Polo. In his travel writings, when he mentioned Chinas southern cities such as Baoying, Nanjing,

Zhenjiang and Suzhou, he would never fail to give a special description of the local silk industry. When he

describes Yunnan and Dali, he dwells substantially into the abundance of gold and silver produced by these

cities. The whole idea of natural resources being available in abundance is constantly read about throughout

the book. This idea is also apparent in his description of India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, which produced all

kinds of gemstones, pearls and spices in abundance.

- 7 -

Marco Polos description of China in his book is not only restricted to cities that were advanced and well

developed. It also includes places that were secluded, primitive, and scarcely populated. Marco Polo had once

visited the eastern region of Tibet when he made a trip to Yunnan. In The Travels of Marco Polo, he dedicated

two chapters on Tibet itself. He describes the expanse of land that he saw, and the rivers that interconnected

with one another, forming lakes and rivers across the land. The people of Tibet were many involved in


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agriculture and rearing livestock. They were dressed in simple and plain clothing, yet enjoyed a tremendous

amount of carefree living. He mentions a kind of wild cattle that was huge and ferocious; as well as a strange-

looking creature that emitted a strange substance from its bodies once every month. The substance was

scattered over the ground and its scent could be detected from afar.

- 8 -

In The Travels of Marco Polo, two chapters touch on the currency of the Yuan Dynasty, and the use of coal,

which had been in use for a long period of time by the Chinese people. According to Marco Polo, Kublai Khan

located its mint in Dadu. There, its currency was manufactured using the bark of the mulberry tree. This paper

currency could be used within China itself, for the purchase of any merchandise, and it was also widely

circulated in foreign trade. He also mentioned about the abundantly available coal, and the fuel it could

generate, which could burn longer than wood. In fact, as early as the Han Dynasty, the Chinese people had

already started using coal as fuel.

- 9 -

First published in the early 14th Century, The Travels of Marco Polo is a record of the sights and sounds of the

Orient that were unheard of to many Europeans. Many people in Europe were attracted to the novelty of the

contents, and were all eager to read about them. Very soon, the book became a best seller. Many readers were

doubtful that the Orient was really that prosperous in terms of its economy and cultures. Marco Polo also

attracted a group of adversaries, who accused him of being a heretic.

- 10 -

They claimed that the world beyond the world of Christianity was the devils hell, and a world of darkness.

They were unable to accept what was written in the book, that Europe was incomparable to the Orient. They

claimed the book to be a blasphemy against the Christian god. Many people started pointing to Marco Polo as

a liar and his book contained nonsense. They rallied for Marco Polo to be arrested. And amidst the fervent

opposition to the publication of the book, Marco Polo was finally brought to court by the Catholic Church.

- 11 -

In facing all the doubts and accusations, Marco Polo remained firm in his stand. Before he died, some of his

relatives and friends were worried that he would not be allowed in heaven for his lies. They tried to persuade

him to confess to God, and disclaim all that he had written in The Travels of Marco Polo, so as his soul could


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be saved. Marco Polo rejected them, and claimed once again that there was not a single lie in his book, and he

had barely told half of what he had experience.

- 12 -

The reason why so many Europeans were opposed to The Travels of Marco Polo was because the cultural

exchanges between the East and West were extremely slow, which led them to believe that the East was

primitive and uncivilized. Other than this, The Travels of Marco Polo did contain contents that were based on

hearsay, and some parts were exaggerated. Due to such narratives, many scholars in later years do believe that

Marco Polo had actually never been to the East, and all that he wrote in the book was what he heard from

others. Some researchers even claimed that Marco Polo is a fictitious character, who did not exist.

- 13 -

On the contrary, there are also many scholars of the Orient, who had authenticated the genuineness of the

books contents. They did acknowledge the flaws and weaknesses ofThe Travels of Marco Polo, but mainly

they were due to the inability to authenticate the rumors and fading memory of Marco Polo. Otherwise, the

contents were mostly true accounts. And there was indeed a person called Marco Polo, who had really been to

China. The values of both Marco Polo and The Travels of Marco Polo thus received their well-deserved

recognition.

- 14 -

Being the first published work about the Orient, and written from the perspective of a Westerner, The Travels

of Marco Polo opened the horizons of the medieval Europeans, who began to look towards the East. Many

intellectuals of various European studies incorporated into their own writings what they had learnt from the

book. Cartographers had especially obtained significant gains from the book. For instance, the map of 1375

Catalonia of Spain was revered as the most valuable map of the medieval times. The map was constructed

based on The Travels of Marco Polo.

- 15 -

The Travels of Marco Polo had also contributed significantly to the development of seafaring and marine

industry. It inspired people to travel and an interest in the Orient. Many adventure seekers, seafarers and

explorers were readers of the book, and derived great encouragement and inspiration from it. It was a book

read by Portugals Dom Henrique, a leading seafarer and adventurer of the 15th Century, who had advocated


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Western Europeans to explore the world via the sea , was hailed as the teacher of great explorers such as

Bartholmeu Dias , Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gam a , and Fernando de Magallanes.

- 16 -

The founder of America, Christopher Columbus, was known to own a 1485 Latin edition ofThe Travels of

Marco Polo. He read it regularly, and made notes in the empty space at the sides. In all, he made close to 264

notes and annotations. From these notes, it could be seen that Columbus was very concerned with the

geographical locations of the places in the East and its natural resources. Columbus greatly admired the

civilized and wealthy nations such as China, India, and Japan that were recorded in the book. And he was very

inspired by what he read to travel and explore the East by sea. Beginning in 1492, under the commission of the

Spanish king, Columbus led a fleet of naval vessels and set off to sea. When he arrived in Central America,

and the northeast of America, he thought he had reached the eastern coast of Asia. But what he discovered,

was America. The Travels of Marco Polo that used to belong to Columbus is still preserved in Sevilla, Spain,

today.

- 17 -

Vasco da Gama was also an avid reader ofThe Travels of Marco Polo. When he was tasked with leading a

naval fleet to discover a new direct route to India, one of the first things he did to prepare for his voyage was to

peruse The Travels of Marco Polo.

- 18 -

Fernando de Magallanes, the first man who circle the globe, was also a reader ofThe Travels of Marco Polo,

and was greatly mesmerized by the rich and mystical Orient.

- 19 -

In facilitating the exchanges between the East and the West, Marco Polo was an outstanding emissary. He was

the first European in history who introduced China to Europe. All the technological advances of China, in silk

production, the making of paper and printing, the coal mining, and architecture, were brought to the world

through his book. Many people also read about how the Chinese cities were planned, developed and managed.

People in the East had also gained much knowledge of the West through Marco Polo.

- 20 -


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It has been 700 years since Marco Polo traveled to China. His spirit of adventure and his insatiable thirst for

knowledge have inspired generations. Many people have followed Marco Polos footsteps in bridging the East

and the West. Today, he is still a well-respected great explorer loved by many.

- 21 -

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Marco Polo in China