The Star Online (Malaysia) has published a fascinating article: On the trail of Marco Polo.
I do not tell half of what I saw because no one would have believed me. – Marco Polo on his deathbed
When Marco Polo uttered this immortal line on his deathbed in 1324, little did he imagine that 680 years later he would be vindicated through the lens of National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita.
Polo’s medieval bestseller, The Description of the World, which was written while he served time in a Genoese prison, initially took Europe by storm. However, his incredible tales of the wealth of Cathay (China), the Mongol empire’s might and the exotic customs of India and Africa were soon dismissed as fables, earning him the moniker, Marco Milione (or Marco of a Million Lies).
Since then, generations of historians have debated the authenticity of Polo’s claims. Some questioned his omissions of common Chinese practices like the use of chopsticks, the binding of women’s feet, tea drinking and calligraphy. He even gave the Great Wall a miss.
Furthermore, Polo’s name never appeared in the Annals of the Empire (Yuan Shih) which recorded the names of foreign visitors who were far less important and illustrious than him, his father, Nicolo, and his uncle, Maffeo.
Nevertheless, Polo did identify some important Chinese features. For instance, porcelain and the use of coal and paper money – all of which were unknown to Europeans in the 13th century. The nature-loving Polo also wrote in incredible detail of the birds, animals and plants that enthralled him during his travels.
Thus piqued, Yamashita used the controversial travelogue as a guide when he began his quest to unearth the Marco Polo mystery in 1999. For the Japanese-American photographer, Polo’s 17-year epic adventure in China was a subject that was close to his heart. [continue]
Related sites:
Marco Polo - Wikipedia
Marco Polo and His Travels - silk-road.com
Related book:
The Travels of Marco Polo - Amazon.com