Marco Polo's Travels

Author: Marco Polo
Translator: Feng Chengjun
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-01-01
Features: The Travels of Marco Polo is divided into four volumes. Volume I records the observations of Marco Polo and his companions during their journey eastward until they reached the capital of the Yuan Dynasty. Volume II describes the Mongol Great Khan Kublai Khan, his palaces, capital, court, government, festivals, and hunting activities. It also covers the regions from Dadu (modern-day Beijing) southward to Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, and the coastal areas of the East China Sea, as well as various islands and regions. Volume III details Japan, Vietnam, East India, South India, the coasts of the Indian Ocean, and the islands of Africa. Volume IV recounts the wars of the Tatar princes, descendants of Genghis Khan, who ruled Asia, and the northern regions of Asia. Each volume is divided into chapters, with each chapter narrating the conditions of a particular place or a historical event, totaling 229 chapters. The book describes more than 100 place names of countries and cities, and the conditions of these places are comprehensively presented, including mountains, rivers, terrain, products, climate, trade, residents, religious beliefs, customs, and even trivial anecdotes and state affairs. The Travels of Marco Polo is a travelogue about Asia, recording the conditions of many countries in Central Asia, West Asia, and Southeast Asia. Its focus, however, is on China, as Marco Polo spent the longest time there. His travels covered the northwest, north, southwest, and east-central regions of China. In The Travels of Marco Polo, he devoted numerous chapters to describing China's boundless wealth, vast commercial cities, excellent transportation facilities, and magnificent palace architecture with enthusiastic language. Volume II, which primarily focuses on China, comprises 82 chapters and occupies a significant portion of the book. This volume includes extensive descriptions of Kublai Khan and Beijing. In Volume II, there is also a detailed account of Hangzhou. The book refers to Hangzhou as the "capital in transit" and the "heavenly city," while Suzhou is called the "earthly city." The term "capital in transit" was a general reference to Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty, referring to the imperial residence. "Heavenly city" and "earthly city" are translations of the Chinese proverb "Above is paradise, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou." Marco Polo was particularly impressed by Hangzhou, which he described as densely populated with 1.6 million houses, highly developed commerce, and ten large markets along the streets, with countless smaller markets. He also noted that Hangzhou people were very welcoming to foreigners, offering "generous hospitality, assistance, and guidance to the best of their ability." He further described Hangzhou's well-organized and clean streets, which were paved with stone, and its people's emphasis on hygiene, with hot and cold baths available throughout the city. The population registration system was strict, and the census was accurate. The book also provides detailed accounts of the beauty and recreational facilities of West Lake. Marco Polo praised Hangzhou, stating, "The pleasures provided by the capital in transit surpass those of all other cities in the world. Those who live there believe they are in paradise." Due to his admiration for Hangzhou, he visited the city multiple times.
Marco Polo was a merchant, and wherever he traveled, he paid close attention to observing and recording the local products and commercial activities. For example, when he traveled to Baoying, Nanjing, Zhenjiang, and Suzhou in southern China, he highlighted the textile industry, particularly the production of brocade and silk. He described Baoying as "relying on commerce and industry for its livelihood, with abundant silk." Similarly, when passing through Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India, he paid special attention to recording various types of gems, spices, and pearls. These items were highly valued by Western merchants in traditional East-West trade.
The Travels of Marco Polo also includes dedicated chapters on the paper money in circulation during the Yuan Dynasty and China's long-standing use of coal. Marco Polo described how Kublai Khan established a mint in the capital, where paper was first made from mulberry bark and then used to print banknotes. These notes circulated not only domestically but also in trade with foreign merchants. He also mentioned seeing "a black stone" in northern China, which was mined from the mountains and burned like firewood, with a flame even better than that of firewood." Without a doubt, this refers to the abundant coal deposits in China. In fact, China had been using coal as a fuel source since the Han Dynasty. During this time, Marco Polo recorded coal as an "extraordinary phenomenon," indicating that coal was not yet widely used in Europe in the 13th century, while it was commonplace in China during the Yuan Dynasty.
The Travels of Marco Polo also contains extensive descriptions of other parts of Asia. Since Marco Polo's journey to China primarily passed through West Asia and Central Asia, his travelogue includes many observations from these regions. In the Middle Ages, no traveler had recorded as much about Asia as Marco Polo did.
In addition to Asia, Marco Polo made some references to the coast of East Africa and the Arctic Ocean, but these were based on hearsay rather than firsthand experience, so many of his accounts often did not match reality. Nevertheless, places like Zanzibar and Madagascar in East Africa were introduced to Europe by Marco Polo for the first time.
Marco Polo was one of the earliest travelers to cross the seas and traverse the land between the East and West. His writings hold significant historical value in the history of medieval geography, Asian history, East-West relations, and Sino-Italian relations.
When The Travels of Marco Polo was published in the late 13th century, its novelty and appeal captivated people, leading to widespread circulation and printing. It became a highly popular read at the time and was called "one of the greatest wonders of the world." Its influence was immense. It broadened the geographical horizons of medieval Europeans, presenting them with a vast and prosperous land, its nations and civilizations, sparking their fascination with the East and helping to dispel the darkness of the Middle Ages, paving the way for modern civilization.
Academically, some insightful scholars used the knowledge provided by The Travels of Marco Polo to enrich their minds and enhance their works. For example, the Catalan Atlas of 1375, which broke traditional conventions and rejected religious falsehoods, was created primarily using The Travels of Marco Polo as a reference. The parts of India, Central Asia, and the Far East on the map were all based on The Travels of Marco Polo, making it a scientifically valuable map of the Middle Ages that later maps often referenced.
The Travels of Marco Polo also played a role in promoting the development of European maritime endeavors around the mid-15th century. Many famous navigators and leaders of exploration teams read Marco Polo's book and were greatly inspired, fueling their desire for the East and their passion for adventurous voyages. For instance, the renowned Portuguese navigator Prince Henry and the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus both read The Travels of Marco Polo with great interest. Columbus, after reading the book as a child, was deeply impressed by the civilization and wealth of China and India, especially the descriptions of Japan as a land of "limitless gold" and "strewn with gold bricks," which filled him with longing. It was this "golden desire" of merchants and nobles that drove Columbus to set sail eastward. Starting in 1492, with the support of the Spanish king, he led his sailors on several voyages, reaching the northeastern corner of Central and South America. Columbus believed that the land he had reached was the coastal islands of Asia, mistaking Mexico for the "capital in transit" described in The Travels of Marco Polo, and identifying Cuba as Japan. He landed and searched everywhere for gold.
Columbus had originally intended to sail to the prosperous East but ended up discovering the New World in the Americas, opening a new maritime route from Europe to the Americas. The copy of The Travels of Marco Polo that Columbus read is still preserved in Lisbon, with numerous annotations and summaries in the margins, reflecting how seriously he took the book and how deeply he was interested in it.