By hannover-web.com On October 26, 2023, a significant event took place in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, marking the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death and the 20th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Italy. The second Marco Polo International Academic Symposium gathered experts and scholars from both countries in this historic city, facilitating a dialogue that transcends time and space about Marco Polo and promoting friendly exchanges between China and Italy, as well as dialogues between Eastern and Western civilizations.
The symposium kicked off with a notable introduction of Marco Polo, the renowned traveler who spent 17 years in China, including three years in Yangzhou, where he served as an official. His famous work, “The Travels of Marco Polo,” has become a household name in China, serving as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures. To honor this pioneer of Sino-Italian friendship, Yangzhou boasts the world’s only Marco Polo Memorial Hall, which underwent an upgrade in 2022.
Cao Huajun, a member of the Communist Party Committee of the Yangzhou Cultural Bureau and deputy director of the Cultural Relics Bureau, highlighted the museum’s recent renovations. “The upgraded Marco Polo Memorial Hall reopened in May 2023, now featuring modern audiovisual technologies and multimedia exhibits that vividly recreate the narratives from ‘The Travels of Marco Polo.’ It provides a comprehensive overview of Marco Polo’s legendary journey, including his experiences in China and his time in Yangzhou, becoming an important window for Yangzhou’s international exchanges,” he remarked.
“The Travels of Marco Polo” chronicles his extraordinary experiences and establishes a crucial connection for the exchange and integration of Eastern and Western civilizations. Francesco D’Arelli, the cultural attaché at the Italian Consulate in Shanghai, emphasized the significance of Polo’s accounts in his video address. “Marco Polo consistently stressed that everything he described was based on his own observations. He fostered dialogue and exchanges between East and West, exemplifying the greatness of both Italian and Chinese civilizations.”
Professor Liu Xiao, president of the Chinese Yuan History Research Association and a history professor at Nankai University, discussed the growing academic interest in Marco Polo. “Research on Marco Polo has emerged as a prominent field, attracting more scholars and history enthusiasts eager to explore the wisdom and footsteps of this great traveler. The focus of research varies between domestic and international scholars, providing opportunities for mutual enhancement.”
“For a long time, domestic scholars have largely debated whether Marco Polo actually visited China, often examining his identity and using Chinese texts to verify the accuracy and reliability of his accounts. Professor Yang Zhijiu’s research on related records from the ‘Yongle Encyclopedia’ is a prime example,” Liu noted.
“While we are indeed interested in the specifics of Marco Polo’s travels during his 17 years in China, ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ primarily functions as a geographical narrative with limited mention of personal encounters,” added Professor Ma Xiaolin from Nankai University. “Yang Zhijiu’s research determined that Marco Polo left from Quanzhou in early 1291, providing definitive evidence. However, much remains to be uncovered about his activities during his time in China.”
Ma further highlighted, “Marco Polo’s claim of serving in Yangzhou for three years is one of the few clear records and is invaluable to our research. Identifying the exact years he served there is crucial in tracing his journey.”
The comprehensive description of China in “The Travels of Marco Polo” has greatly inspired Italians’ interest in this ancient Eastern civilization. Chiara Concina, an associate professor at the University of Verona, and Samuela Simion, a researcher at the University of Venice, affirmed their findings: “Our research confirms the authenticity of ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’—he indeed came to China.”
“Today, as we commemorate the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s passing through this symposium, we will delve into the content of ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ and its context concerning the economy, culture, religion, and social customs of that era, ultimately promoting the study and advancement of Marco Polo-related scholarship,” stated Shu Jiaping, director of the Yangzhou Museum.
