Marco Polo is one of the most famous European travelers to the Far East. His tales of the exoticism of the court of the Great Khan Khubilai have inspired people to follow his footsteps for hundreds of years. According to his record, Marco Polo, his brother and an uncle set off for the east in the middle of the thirteenth century and spent the next twenty four years exploring the orient. Impressing those whom he met with his erudition and urbanity, Marco even became a confidant of Khubilai Khan and was awarded high office and many important duties which he seems to have performed admirably. This included a geographic assessment of the territories around the Khanate and these form the basis of much of the travels. Marco travels to Beijing via the Silk Road and then around the coasts and mainland of Japan, southern China, Southeast Asia, India and other areas. He describes the ways of life of the peoples he meets, including their food, their religious beliefs and any interesting customs that seem to catch his imagination. His period in the east seems to be from 1275-92. Much of this information came to western audiences for the first time and inspired considerable interest.
It does seem true that Marco was a Venetian or at least lived in Venice as a child and that his was a family of merchant-adventurers. As a result of the numerous inter-city conflicts of the Italian Wars of the time, Marco found himself imprisoned and it was at this time that he is said to have recounted the story of his travels to a certain Rusticello da Pisa. Here is part of Marco's description of Yunnan province in southern China, site of the Nan Chao state that had been destroyed by the Mongols in their conquests:
"The inhabitants live upon flesh meat and upon the fruits of the earth. Their language is peculiar to themselves, and is difficult to be acquired. The best horses are bred in this province. At the end of these five days you arrive at its capital city, which is named Yachi, and is large and noble. In it are found merchants and artisans, with a mixed population, consisting of (the native) idolaters, Nestorian Christians, and Saracens or Mahometans, but the first is the most numerous class. The land is fertile in rice and wheat. The people, however, do not use wheaten bread, which they esteem unwholesome, but eat rice; and of the other grain, with the addition of spices, they make wine, which is clear, light-coloured, and most pleasant to the taste. For money they employ the white porcelain shell, found in the sea, and these they also wear as ornaments about their necks. Eighty of the shells are equal in value to a saggio of silver or two Venetian groats, and eight saggi of good silver to one of pure gold. In this country also there are salt-springs, from which all the salt used by the inhabitants is procured. The duty levied on this salt produces a large revenue to the king.
It does seem true that Marco was a Venetian or at least lived in Venice as a child and that his was a family of merchant-adventurers. As a result of the numerous inter-city conflicts of the Italian Wars of the time, Marco found himself imprisoned and it was at this time that he is said to have recounted the story of his travels to a certain Rusticello da Pisa. Here is part of Marco's description of Yunnan province in southern China, site of the Nan Chao state that had been destroyed by the Mongols in their conquests:
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