Marco Polo's impressions of China by Robin Sidhu https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea en-us 2021-06-29 04:18:52 UTC 2026-01-12 22:39:29 UTC hello@padlet.com Does the lake he describe in his writings really exist? rsidhu5 https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea/wish/1629055437 He explains and describes in great detail the lake, it was real which structures were belonging to nobles so adding particular celebrations like weddings gives it more strength for it to be real. the reassurance of "I repeat that everything appertaining to this city is on so vast a scale and the Great Kaan's revenues therefore are so immense that it is not easy to put in writing".  - maddy

Marco Polo goes to great lengths describing the lake in the middle of the city which makes it seem more likely to be real. The city is now named Hangzhou which proves the lake is real - kiera]]> 2021-06-28 23:39:42 UTC https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea/wish/1629055437 What does he think about the religious practices he finds in this city? rsidhu5 https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea/wish/1629055860 Marco Polo mentions there are a number of Idolaters (Buddhists) within the city - kiera

Banquets/celebrations were so well ordered a manner that one party was never in the way of another - maddy]]> 2021-06-28 23:40:06 UTC https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea/wish/1629055860 What does he think of the cuisine? rsidhu5 https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea/wish/1629056510 Marco Polo mentions that they eat all kinds of flesh including that "of dogs and other unclean beasts". He says there is nothing that would make a Christian eat these. Judging by his response he does not like this aspect of the cuisine but he also speaks of the food and wine sold at markets which he is impressed by. - Kiera

He talks about how they have fresh wine very good raisins. 

markets make a daily display of every kind of vegetables and fruits, from the ocean sea also come daily supplies of fish. Shops are devoted to the sales of wine made from rice and spices which are constantly made fresh and sold very cheap. -maddy 

He puts emphasise on how abundant they are when it comes to food.

They eat dogs and other unclean beasts also the water of which supplied by springs.]]> 2021-06-28 23:40:49 UTC https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea/wish/1629056510 How does Christianity impact his beliefs? rsidhu5 https://padlet.com/rsidhu5/11dnqjennjxfciea/wish/1629056831 The consumption of dogs and other "unclean beasts" was seen to be revolting to Marco Polo. Christianity and other Abrahamic faiths place great importance on which animals to eat and not to eat. 

He refers to them as 'Idolaters'. In Christianity  idolising statues is seen as a sin.




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