Travels of Marco Polo
Venetian Marco Polo remains a prominent figure in the history of exchange between the Chinese and Western civilizations. In 1271, 17-year-old Marco Polo and his parents traveled along the Silk Road in Central Asia to Dadu of Yuan (present-day Beijing). He ended up staying in China for 17 years. Marco Polo gave oral accounts of his travels in China and some other Asian countries, which Rustichello da Pisa documented and compiled into the Travels of Marco Polo. The book focused on local products, fairs, folk customs, and anecdotes experienced in places he traveled during the rule of Kublai Khan. They also contained accounts of Japan, Southeast Asia, and India.
The Travels of Marco Polo was the first travelogue to offer a comprehensive and in-depth account of China. A milestone work in terms of informing the West about China, it set off the first wave of "Chinoiserie." As a vanguard of cultural exchange between China and the West, Marco Polo became an esteemed figure, and the travelogue became highly sought-after among later generations. The book brought hope to Medieval Europe and catalyzed the discovery of new sea routes to the East.
《马可·波罗游记》
意大利人马可·波罗是中西文明交流史中的重要人物。1271年，17岁的马可·波罗随父辈从中亚的陆上丝绸之路抵达元大都（今北京），并在中国生活了17年。马可·波罗依据在中国和亚洲各国的游历见闻，口述了周游东方的故事，由鲁斯蒂谦记录并写成《马可·波罗游记》。游记重点记述了忽必烈统治时期元朝各地的物产市集、风土人情、奇闻轶事等，还记录了日本、东南亚、印度等地的情况。
《马可·波罗游记》是第一部全面、深入介绍中国的游记，是西方认识中国历程中里程碑性的著作，掀起了历史上第一次西方“中国热”。作为中西文化交流的先驱，马可·波罗和《马可·波罗游记》一直为后人所追随，为中世纪的欧洲带去了希望，也对日后新航路的开辟产生了巨大影响。
