Ghostdancer Posted January 13, 2004 #1 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Some historians believe that Marco Polo never even made it to China and that his years there are just a myth. They point out his name not being mentioned in the Chinese imperial court records of the time and no mention by Polo of certain things that he should have observed had he have spent as many years there as he claimed, but didn't and those things that he did write about were from what he heard from Arab travelers to the region - so some historians say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novo Posted January 13, 2004 #2 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Some historians believe that Marco Polo never even made it to China and that his years there are just a myth. They point out his name not being mentioned in the Chinese imperial court records of the time and no mention by Polo of certain things that he should have observed had he have spent as many years there as he claimed, but didn't and those things that he did write about were from what he heard from Arab travelers to the region - so some historians say. Polos a Poser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Harry Posted December 25, 2018 #3 Share Posted December 25, 2018 On 1/13/2004 at 10:30 AM, Ghostdancer said: Some historians believe that Marco Polo never even made it to China and that his years there are just a myth. They point out his name not being mentioned in the Chinese imperial court records of the time and no mention by Polo of certain things that he should have observed had he have spent as many years there as he claimed, but didn't and those things that he did write about were from what he heard from Arab travelers to the region - so some historians say. Often times historians write controversial statements simply because they need to publish a certain amount of material annually. Especially those who are seeking a tenured position. No serious historian could honestly believe that Marco Polo's account was fictional, much less that the man himself never existed. Now, certain elements in his narrative could be overly dramatized or even included in order to provide the readers with the much expected marvels. But such was a common feature of ancient and medieval travelogues, and should not cast doubt on the overall historicity of the narrative itself. The original manuscript dictated by Marco Polo during his imprisonment in Genoa in 1298, and written by the novelist Rustichello unfortunately is no longer extant. However, a number of early manuscripts survive including one referred to as Paris manuscript (F), still survive. Manuscript F was written in the same Italianate French which was characteristic of Rustichello's writing style as revealed in many of his other writings. This manuscript was very likely based upon the handwritten original, the same version which was related to Rustichello by Marco Polo himself. Nor is there any reason to doubt the essential accuracy of most of the events and descriptions contained within the narrative, as Polo was a very keen observer, and much of the information he recorded can be independently verified in contemporary Chinese sources. This includes Polo's remarkable description of Kinsai, which preserved one of the most vivid and accurate pictures of a medieval city still extant. His descriptions of the various nations and races of men he encountered along with their customs including Persians, Turks, Tartars, Chinese, Tibetans, and Indians was also of the utmost accuracy. Keep in mind that information of this sort was not readily available to most western Europeans during the Middle Ages, and thus it is highly unlikely that these descriptions would have been so accurately recorded unless Polo observed them first hand. As to the historicity of Marco Polo himself, his will dated January 9 1323/4, leaves no doubt. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Harry Posted December 25, 2018 #4 Share Posted December 25, 2018 (edited) Regarding Polo's neglecting to mention such defining features of Chinese life such as tea and printing, I should add that according to a contemporary 14th century writer Jacopo d'Acqui, Polo confessed on his deathbed that he had not related half of what he had seen. Such apparently glaring omissions, though they may seem damning in hindsight, should in no way cast doubt upon the essential accuracy of the travelogue itself. Edited December 25, 2018 by Lord Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylemurph Posted December 25, 2018 #5 Share Posted December 25, 2018 Keep in mind, Polo got flak for making things up -- particularly the bit about the Chinese burning rocks for heat (coal). He had a legitimate reason to not reveal more surprising things (and that the distant Chinese were far more technological advanced would have been surprising...). If the OP --more than a decade ago -- knew what he was talking about, he could have just mentioned Mandeville. Or the Alexander romances. --Jaylemurph 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Wearer of Hats Posted December 25, 2018 #6 Share Posted December 25, 2018 He existed, except he wasn’t Venetian, he was Irish - Marc O’Polo. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmt_sesh Posted December 26, 2018 #7 Share Posted December 26, 2018 This thread is ancient—startede some fourteen years go. Lord Harry, I've warned you nefore: stop necropsoting! If anyone in the year 2018 (almost 2019) finds this subject interesting, by no mean dredge up something so stale. Start a new thread! Closed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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