What Impressed Marco Polo About China?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Through it all, Marco Polo marveled at China’s cultural customs, great wealth and complex social structure. He was impressed with the empire’s paper money, efficient communication system, coal burning, gunpowder and porcelain , and called Xanadu “the greatest palace that ever was.”

What effect did Marco Polo have on China?

Marco Polo, having been deployed on a mission to China by emperor Kublai Khan, was able to hold a number of government positions in China, such as ambassador and governor of Yangzhou, a city in eastern China, and established mutual diplomatic connections for Europe with the East .

How does Marco Polo describe China?

Marco described the vast Asian trading network and, in particular, the thriving silk, iron, and salt industries. He also described the foreign concept of paper money as well as Chinese inventions such as porcelain pottery (China).

Who Did Marco Polo gain favor with in China?

On their second journey to China in 1271, Niccolò brought his son, Marco Polo. Marco spent 17 years in the court of Kublai Khan , gaining favor with the Khan and eventually becoming one of his trusted diplomats.

What did Marco Polo bring to China?

Marco Polo, the great Venetian explorer/merchant is said to have brought back with him from his fabled visits to China, noodles , which became the pasta that Italy is famed for today.

What did Marco Polo learn from his travels?

By land to Trebizond

While in Persia, the Polos also learned that Kublai Khan had died . Still, the people the Polo’s encountered as they traveled through the bandit-ridden interior honored the golden tablet of protection that the great Khan had given them.

What positive impact did Marco Polo left on the world?

Marco Polo changed the world in that he opened up trade routes to East India and China . This allowed for an increase in trade, expanding Europe’s...

Why did Marco Polo receive a good education?

Because Marco’s family was wealthy , he received a good education, learning about classical authors, the theology of the Latin Church, and both French and Italian. He also developed an interest in history and geography that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Did Genghis Khan know Marco Polo?

According to The Travels of Marco Polo, they passed through much of Asia , and met with Kublai Khan, a Mongol ruler and founder of the Yuan dynasty. ... In 1269, Niccolò and Maffeo returned to their families in Venice, meeting young Marco for the first time.

Why did Marco go to China?

Marco Polo (1254-1324) was a Venetian merchant believed to have journeyed across Asia at the height of the Mongol Empire. ... Upon reaching China, Marco Polo entered the court of powerful Mongol ruler Kublai Khan, who dispatched him on trips to help administer the realm .

Did Marco Polo walk to China?

The History of Marco Polo and His Renowned Travels

Marco Polo’s journey to China was itself inspired by his father’s and uncle’s traveling to the country after listening to their stories. ... In 1271 , his father and uncle took him along to China then called Cathy. He was 6 years old.

Did Marco Polo bring rice to Italy?

Rice may have been introduced to Italy repeatedly in different periods of time via different routes such as by the Arabians or by Venetian commerce (e.g., The Travels of Marco Polo), although no written document about these is available. ... Rice cultivation expanded to ca.

What Desert Did Marco Polo have to cross to reach China?

Crossing the Gobi desert , meanwhile, proved long and, at times, arduous. “This desert is reported to be so long that it would take a year to go from end to end,” Polo later wrote. “And at the narrowest point it takes a month to cross it.

Why did Marco Polo travel the Silk Road?

For many centuries the Great Silk Road connected a complex network of trade routes from Europe with Asia. It was a way to establish contact with the great civilizations of China, India, the Near East and Europe . ... Among them was Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant who embarked on the Silk Road for trade and good fortune.

What did Marco Polo eat on his journey?

He probably ate several varieties of noodles or filled pasta during his 17 years at the Emperor’s court in China. Between the 1270s and around 1292 when he left China, pasta was a very well developed culinary specialty there, though rice then as now was the staple food.

Why is Marco Polo significant?

Marco Polo, (born c. 1254, Venice [Italy]—died January 8, 1324, Venice), Venetian merchant and adventurer who traveled from Europe to Asia in 1271–95, remaining in China for 17 of those years, and whose Il milione (“The Million”), known in English as the Travels of Marco Polo, is a classic of travel literature.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.