![]() ![]() The Marco Polo Bridge is over the Youngding River, and is located 15 km southwest of Tiananmen Square. They include the Sanmiaojie Hutong which is the oldest one and Nanluoguxiang Hutong where you can see age-old siheyuans, archways, wall carvings, and former residences of socialites.ĭongxijiaominxiang is the longest Hutong and Yandaixiejie Hutong ('Tobacco Pouch Diagonal Alley') is where you can shop for the best hutong souvenirs. Hutongs in Beijing reveal ancient architecture that has been around since Marco Polo days. The Catholics and Mongols were expelled during the Ming Dynasty. The Catholics were later attacked together with the Nestorians when the latter were rebelled against by the Mongols. The Catholic priest then sent Christian missionaries in Beijing in 1294 and the Mongols allowed building of Catholic churches. Marco Polo reported about the presence of this type of Christians when he went back to Europe from China. Historically, Beijing also had a large number of Nestorians who had come to China in the 7th Century and established the Church of the East. ![]() Marco Polo also contributed to introduction of Catholic church and Christianity in China. It has been claimed that this palace might have been built underneath the Forbidden City. It was, in history, termed as the most magnificent in the world, built because astrologers had predicted rebellion in the old city.Īccording to Polo, Khan's palace here was the best that ever was - walls covered with gold and silver, and the large hall could accommodate 6,000 people for a dinner. Marco Polo in Beijingīeijing was then called Cambaluc or Khanbalig or the city of Khan. Khan had at that palace, 10, 000 speckles white horses whose milk was reserved for his family and a tribe that had won a victory for Genghis Khan. Coleridge, a English poet, was inspired by the description to write a poem about Khan's stately dome in Xanadu (Shangdou). Polo's detailing of the paintings reveals that they were attractive and astonishing. The rooms of the fine marble palace were gilt and walls were painted with figures of men and beast. These could be transported easily in pieces when the Emperor of China moved. Kublai Khan's palace in Xanadu was made of cane supported by 200 silk cords. It is composed of Court City, the Imperial City and the Outer City and has watchtowers and famous buildings such as the Crystal Palace and Great Joy Palace. Xanadu was the summer capital of Kublai Kahn's Yuan Dynasty before being moved to Jin Dynasty capital of Zhōngdu - present day Beijing. Marco Polo in Shangdou (Xanadu, Inner Mongolia) Other ancient attractions include the Great Mosque. Xi'an has old architecture such as the the Shanxi Provincial Museum with more than 370,000 relics including bronzes, Terra Cotta figures, gold and silver wares. Many Westerners traveled to China later on in the centuries that followed, after the book, which had become famous in Europe, enlightened more about China. Marco Polo came home with a Chinese kite, and this helped the kite to become popular around the world. Some of the attractions include the The Grand Budha Temple in Zhangye, which was an important city on Silk Road during ancient times. The book aroused the desire of Europeans to explore China partly because it portrayed the prosperity of the people there.The ancient tourist camel route is famous for ruins and classical and beautiful ancient architecture, Buddhism temples, kingly tombs and Mogao Grottoes. Marco has written a book The Travels of Marco Polo detailing his journey to China. 3 and half years after leaving Venice, the trio finally arrived to the original capital of Kublai Khan at Shangdou - his summer residence. ![]() Polo spent four years marching along the silk road to the capital of Beijing. The Silk Road refers to a combination of routes that link China to Central Asia. They passed through South China Sea to Sumatra and the Indian Ocean, and finally docked at Hormuz. Polo then explored southern cities of China, and the trio returned home in 1292. The trio stayed in the Khan's court for 17 years and acquired wealth in form of jewels and gold. They then met the King at Shangdou (Xanadu, near Hohhot), and then went to Beijing. The trio went through Armenia, Persia, and Afghanistan to Pamirs.Īfter Kashgar and the Taklamakan Desert, they reached Suchow ( Dunhuang ) city and Marco stayed there for a year.Īfter Xinjiang, the trio traveled to Inner Mongolia. In 1271, his father and uncle took him along to China then called Cathy. ![]() His father and uncle, who had been to China before during their trading on the Silk Road, had one time visited Kublan Khan who was an emperor in the Yuan Dynasty. 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. Although it is not clear where he was born (either at Curzola, off the coast of Dalmatia or at Venice), Marco Polo grew up in Venice. ![]()
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