Is Marco Polo really a person? Did Marco Polo really come to China?
In 1296, Marco Polo, who was imprisoned in a Genoa prison, confidently told his fellow prisoners what he had seen and heard in the East. He probably would not have thought at the time that the dialogue left behind during his time in prison would attract countless readers and bring endless debates over the next 700 years.
This year marks the 700th anniversary of the death of Italian traveler Marco Polo. After more than a year of preparation, the Shanghai Library’s annual boutique exhibition - "The Realm and Imaginary World: The Miracle Book "Marco Polo's Travels"" themed document exhibition The grand opening was held on November 3 in the East Branch of Shanghai Library. The day before the opening, reporters from Jiefang Daily and Shangguan News paid an advance visit.
"As part of the world's Chinese studies, there are endless studies on Marco Polo and many topics. For example, it is like China's 'Red Studies'. One of the reasons is because of "Marco Polo Game" The manuscript system is very complicated," said Xu Jinhua, deputy director of the Historical Documentation Center of Shanghai Library.
This exhibition is based on rare documents collected by Italian collection institutions and the Shanghai Library. It is divided into four parts: "The Book of Miracles", "Sand Boats and Sea Sails", "The Sun and the Moon Are Constant" and "The Roaring Stars". There are more than 100 high-quality documents at home and abroad, including early manuscripts and printed copies of Marco Polo's Travels in different languages, Chinese books, newspapers and periodicals related to Marco Polo since the 19th century, as well as cultural exchanges between China and Italy. Many precious documents. Among them, four representative early manuscripts of "Marco Polo's Travels", as well as rare manuscript documents such as the will of Marco Polo's uncle Marco Sr., come from well-known Italian collection institutions, and are all exhibited in China for the first time.
The exhibition begins with information on 144 main manuscripts of "Marco Polo's Travels". What's interesting is that just a few months ago, the 145th "Marco Polo's Travels" manuscript was discovered in Italy. . Among the dense text information, it can be found that the 64th, 116th, 122nd, and 131st types are marked with asterisks. These four manuscripts can be seen in the four display cabinets in the first part of the exhibition hall.
Going further, in a rectangular display cabinet, there are juxtaposed displays the manuscript of Dante's "Divine Comedy" from the Ricardina Library in Florence, Italy, and Marco Polo's uncle with the same name - old Marco Polo. Polo's will. Why are these two exhibits stored in one cabinet? This is precisely a certain verification of two major questions about Marco Polo. The will of old Marco Polo records the location of the Marco Polo family residence and lists the share of the inheritance for descendants, including Marco Polo. As a contemporary of Marco Polo, Dante has always had a legend that the two met at a palace banquet in 1313. Although there is not much substantive basis for this statement, some scholars still believe that Dante has read "The Travels of Marco Polo", and some scholars believe that some of Dante's imagination or inspiration came from his stay in the court of Verona. I came into contact with the oriental materials passed down by the Polo family. "There is a word on the page of "The Divine Comedy" that we have spread out. It is believed to be from Mongolian, and it may be influenced by "Marco Polo's Travels"." Xu Jinhua introduced.
In the "Book of Miracles" section, in addition to 6 rare exhibits that came to China for the first time, the Xujiahui Library of Shanghai Library also organized a comparative display of multiple volumes of "The Travels of Marco Polo" and early Chinese translations in the collection.
In the records of Chinese classics, there is also evidence that Marco Polo visited China. One is that in the fragments of "Yongle Dadian", Yang Zhijiu, an expert on Mongol and Yuan history, discovered that the record of three Persian envoys escorting Princess Kuokozhen to marry into the Ilkhanate was consistent with the escort from Quanzhou recorded by Marco Polo in his travel notes. Princess Kuokuozhen married far away; secondly, the records of Zhenjiang Catholic Church in Zhishun Zhenjiang Chronicles of the Yuan Dynasty can correspond to the Travels of Marco Polo. The photocopy of "Yongle Dadian" and the original "Zhishun Zhenjiang Chronicle" can be seen in this exhibition.
For today's Chinese people, Marco Polo is a familiar name. During most of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Marco Polo and his Travels were unfamiliar to the Chinese. Another focus of this exhibition is to show readers how Marco Polo and his "Travel Notes" entered the Chinese world from the mid-19th century, and how they became research materials for history, geography, and linguistics, creating There are as many research results as stars. This process is like "Marco Polo's second visit to China." For example, the "Shenbao" on December 13, 1874 published an article "Inquiry into the Horse King's Affairs". This was the first time that Marco Polo was mentioned in a mainland Chinese newspaper.
Shanghai is a place for cultural exchanges between China and the West. In the New Year of 1939, a Hollywood film adapted from Marco Polo's deeds in China was screened at the "Greater Shanghai" Theater. This movie, which was produced by United Artists at a huge cost, is translated as "Marco Polo" (the adventures of marco polo), starring Hollywood's popular movie star Gary Cooper and rising star Desiree. Geli plays the male and female roles respectively. The 8th issue of "Hollywood" Weekly, a Chinese magazine founded and published in Shanghai, not only published photos of the male and female protagonists of the film, but also published many photos of scenes from the filming of the film; in the 13th issue, the magazine was once again in the "fan mailbox" There was a Q&A session with fans about the film’s sets. In the exhibition, not only the "Hollywood" weekly is displayed, but also the photos of the scene are enlarged and displayed on the wall.
The last part of the exhibition displays more than 400 years of Sino-Italian exchanges with more than 30 rare books in Chinese and foreign languages, including Matteo Ricci Notes on China in 1615, the Latin "The Analects of Confucius" in 1662, The Latin "Golden Mean" in 1669, "Perspective" completed in 1749 by Nian Xiyao and Lang Shining, etc. From "Records of Personal Experiences" to "Records of Envoys to the West", "Records of Travels and Hearings", "Diary of Envoys to England, France, Italy and Belgium" and "Travel Notes of Eleven European Countries", the impressions of Italy left by Chinese people from all walks of life who have visited Italy are: They will also be featured in the exhibition. At the end of the exhibition hall, a "writing room" for the production of Western-language books is simulated, allowing readers to understand the production process of Western-language books.
"What you see is what you see; what you hear is what you heard; this book is true and there is no hypocrisy." About "The Travels of Marco Polo" Controversies and discussions with Marco Polo have always existed, but this book composed of paper and ink has transcended the boundary between fiction and reality and has become a part of the common memory of mankind.This exhibition specially invited an Italian design company to design the display. It uses typical Italian arches and beams as elements, and divides the square exhibition hall with multiple arc shapes. Following the guidance of the "camel" and "sand boat" underfoot, it creates a "travel" for this journey. The time and space travel between virtual reality and reality adds more fun to exploration.
"Marco Polo is a typical case of two-way exchanges between human civilizations. The circulation and research of the version of "Marco Polo's Travels" is a professional knowledge. For ordinary readers, they can learn from the exhibits, exhibition items, and displays Even in Italian design, we can fully experience the charm of three-dimensional cultural exchanges," said Chen Chao, Director of Shanghai Library.
It is reported that the annual exhibition of the above picture will last until February 28, 2025. During the exhibition, more than ten special lectures delivered by Chinese and foreign scholars will be held, allowing citizens and readers to better understand this "miracle movie" from more angles. Book".
Is Marco Polo really a person? Did Marco Polo really come to China?
In 1296, Marco Polo, who was imprisoned in a Genoa prison, confidently told his fellow prisoners what he had seen and heard in the East. He probably would not have thought at the time that the dialogue left behind during his time in prison would attract countless readers and bring endless debates over the next 700 years.
This year marks the 700th anniversary of the death of Italian traveler Marco Polo. After more than a year of preparation, the Shanghai Library’s annual boutique exhibition - "The Realm and Imaginary World: The Miracle Book "Marco Polo's Travels"" themed document exhibition The grand opening was held on November 3 in the East Branch of Shanghai Library. The day before the opening, reporters from Jiefang Daily and Shangguan News paid an advance visit.
"As part of the world's Chinese studies, there are endless studies on Marco Polo and many topics. For example, it is like China's 'Red Studies'. One of the reasons is because of "Marco Polo Game" The manuscript system is very complicated," said Xu Jinhua, deputy director of the Historical Documentation Center of Shanghai Library.
This exhibition is based on rare documents collected by Italian collection institutions and the Shanghai Library. It is divided into four parts: "The Book of Miracles", "Sand Boats and Sea Sails", "The Sun and the Moon Are Constant" and "The Roaring Stars". There are more than 100 high-quality documents at home and abroad, including early manuscripts and printed copies of Marco Polo's Travels in different languages, Chinese books, newspapers and periodicals related to Marco Polo since the 19th century, as well as cultural exchanges between China and Italy. Many precious documents. Among them, four representative early manuscripts of "Marco Polo's Travels", as well as rare manuscript documents such as the will of Marco Polo's uncle Marco Sr., come from well-known Italian collection institutions, and are all exhibited in China for the first time.
The exhibition begins with information on 144 main manuscripts of "Marco Polo's Travels". What's interesting is that just a few months ago, the 145th "Marco Polo's Travels" manuscript was discovered in Italy. . Among the dense text information, it can be found that the 64th, 116th, 122nd, and 131st types are marked with asterisks. These four manuscripts can be seen in the four display cabinets in the first part of the exhibition hall.
Going further, in a rectangular display cabinet, there are juxtaposed displays the manuscript of Dante's "Divine Comedy" from the Ricardina Library in Florence, Italy, and Marco Polo's uncle with the same name - old Marco Polo. Polo's will. Why are these two exhibits stored in one cabinet? This is precisely a certain verification of two major questions about Marco Polo. The will of old Marco Polo records the location of the Marco Polo family residence and lists the share of the inheritance for descendants, including Marco Polo. As a contemporary of Marco Polo, Dante has always had a legend that the two met at a palace banquet in 1313. Although there is not much substantive basis for this statement, some scholars still believe that Dante has read "The Travels of Marco Polo", and some scholars believe that some of Dante's imagination or inspiration came from his stay in the court of Verona. I came into contact with the oriental materials passed down by the Polo family. "There is a word on the page of "The Divine Comedy" that we have spread out. It is believed to be from Mongolian, and it may be influenced by "Marco Polo's Travels"." Xu Jinhua introduced.
In the "Book of Miracles" section, in addition to 6 rare exhibits that came to China for the first time, the Xujiahui Library of Shanghai Library also organized a comparative display of multiple volumes of "The Travels of Marco Polo" and early Chinese translations in the collection.
In the records of Chinese classics, there is also evidence that Marco Polo visited China. One is that in the fragments of "Yongle Dadian", Yang Zhijiu, an expert on Mongol and Yuan history, discovered that the record of three Persian envoys escorting Princess Kuokozhen to marry into the Ilkhanate was consistent with the escort from Quanzhou recorded by Marco Polo in his travel notes. Princess Kuokuozhen married far away; secondly, the records of Zhenjiang Catholic Church in Zhishun Zhenjiang Chronicles of the Yuan Dynasty can correspond to the Travels of Marco Polo. The photocopy of "Yongle Dadian" and the original "Zhishun Zhenjiang Chronicle" can be seen in this exhibition.
For today's Chinese people, Marco Polo is a familiar name. During most of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Marco Polo and his Travels were unfamiliar to the Chinese. Another focus of this exhibition is to show readers how Marco Polo and his "Travel Notes" entered the Chinese world from the mid-19th century, and how they became research materials for history, geography, and linguistics, creating There are as many research results as stars. This process is like "Marco Polo's second visit to China." For example, the "Shenbao" on December 13, 1874 published an article "Inquiry into the Horse King's Affairs". This was the first time that Marco Polo was mentioned in a mainland Chinese newspaper.
Shanghai is a place for cultural exchanges between China and the West. In the New Year of 1939, a Hollywood film adapted from Marco Polo's deeds in China was screened at the "Greater Shanghai" Theater. This movie, which was produced by United Artists at a huge cost, is translated as "Marco Polo" (the adventures of marco polo), starring Hollywood's popular movie star Gary Cooper and rising star Desiree. Geli plays the male and female roles respectively. The 8th issue of "Hollywood" Weekly, a Chinese magazine founded and published in Shanghai, not only published photos of the male and female protagonists of the film, but also published many photos of scenes from the filming of the film; in the 13th issue, the magazine was once again in the "fan mailbox" There was a Q&A session with fans about the film’s sets. In the exhibition, not only the "Hollywood" weekly is displayed, but also the photos of the scene are enlarged and displayed on the wall.
The last part of the exhibition displays more than 400 years of Sino-Italian exchanges with more than 30 rare books in Chinese and foreign languages, including Matteo RicciNotes on China in 1615, the Latin "The Analects of Confucius" in 1662, and the Latin 1669 "The Doctrine of the Mean", "Perspective" written by Nian Xiyao and Lang Shining in 1749, etc. From "Records of Personal Experiences" to "Records of Envoys to the West", "Records of Travels and Hearings", "Diary of Envoys to England, France, Italy and Belgium" and "Travel Notes of Eleven European Countries", the impressions of Italy left by Chinese people from all walks of life who have visited Italy are: They will also be featured in the exhibition. At the end of the exhibition hall, a "writing room" for the production of Western-language books is simulated, allowing readers to understand the production process of Western-language books.
"Those who see it, know what they see; what they hear, know what they hear; this book is true and there is no hypocrisy." About "Marco Polo's Travels" and Marco Polo himself Controversies and discussions have always existed, but this book composed of paper and ink has transcended the boundary between fiction and reality and has become a part of the common memory of mankind.This exhibition specially invited an Italian design company to design the display. It uses typical Italian arches and beams as elements, and divides the square exhibition hall with multiple arc shapes. Following the guidance of the "camel" and "sand boat" underfoot, it creates a "travel" for this journey. The time and space travel between virtual reality and reality adds more fun to exploration.
"Marco Polo is a typical case of two-way exchanges between human civilizations. The circulation and research of the version of "Marco Polo's Travels" is a professional knowledge. For ordinary readers, they can learn from the exhibits, exhibition items, and displays Even in Italian design, we can fully experience the charm of three-dimensional cultural exchanges," said Chen Chao, Director of Shanghai Library.
It is reported that the annual exhibition of the above picture will last until February 28, 2025. During the exhibition, more than ten special lectures delivered by Chinese and foreign scholars will be held, allowing citizens and readers to better understand this "miracle movie" from more angles. Book".
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