Chapter IX: Part I

CHAP. PAGE
I.—OF CUBLAY KAAN, THE GREAT KAAN NOW REIGNING, AND OF HIS
GREAT PUISSANCE 331

NOTE.—_Eulogies of Kúblái._

II.—CONCERNING THE REVOLT OF NAYAN, WHO WAS UNCLE TO THE GREAT
KAAN CUBLAY 332

NOTES.—1. _Chronology._ 2. _Kúblái’s Age._ 3. _His Wars._
4. _Nayan and his true relationship to Kúblái._

III.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN MARCHED AGAINST NAYAN 335

NOTE.—_Addition from Ramusio._

IV.—OF THE BATTLE THAT THE GREAT KAAN FOUGHT WITH NAYAN 336

NOTES.—1. _The word |Bretesche|._ 2. _Explanatory._ 3. _The
Nakkára._ 4. _Parallel Passages._ 5. _Verbal._ 6.
_The Story of Nayan._ (See App. L. 7.)

V.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSED NAYAN TO BE PUT TO DEATH 343

NOTES.—1. _The Shedding of Royal blood avoided._ 2.
_Chorcha, Kaoli, Barskul, Sikintinju._ 3. _Jews in
China._

VI.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN WENT BACK TO THE CITY OF CAMBALUC 348

NOTE.—_Passage from Ramusio respecting the Kaan’s views of
Religion. Remarks._

VII.—HOW THE KAAN REWARDED THE VALOUR OF HIS CAPTAINS 350

NOTES.—1. _Parallel from Sanang Setzen._ 2. _The Golden
Honorary Tablets or_ Paizah _of the Mongols._ 3.
_Umbrellas._ 4. _The Gerfalcon Tablets._

VIII.—CONCERNING THE PERSON OF THE GREAT KAAN 356

NOTES.—1. _Colour of his Eyes._ 2. _His Wives._ 3. _The
Kungurat Tribe. Competitive Examination in Beauty._

IX.—CONCERNING THE GREAT KAAN’S SONS 359

NOTES.—1. _Kúblái’s intended Heir._ 2. _His other Sons._

X.—CONCERNING THE PALACE OF THE GREAT KAAN 362

NOTES.—1. _Palace Wall._ 2. _The word |Tarcasci|._ 3.
_Towers._ 4. _Arsenals of the Palace._ 5. _The
Gates._ 6. _Various Readings._ 7. _Barracks._
8. _Wide diffusion of the kind of Palace here
described._ 9. _Parallel description._ 10. _“Divine”
Park._ 11. _Modern account of the Lake, etc._
12. “Roze de l’açur.” 13. _The Green Mount._ 14.
_Textual._ 15. _Bridge._

XI.—CONCERNING THE CITY OF CAMBALUC 374

NOTES.—1. _Chronology, etc., of Peking._ 2. _The City
Wall._ 3. _Changes in the Extent of the City._ 4.
_Its ground plan._ 5. _Aspect._ 6. _Public Towers._
7. _Addition from Ramusio._

XII.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN MAINTAINS A GUARD OF TWELVE THOUSAND
HORSE, WHICH ARE CALLED KESHICAN 379

NOTE.—_The term |Quescican|._

XIII.—THE FASHION OF THE GREAT KAAN’S TABLE AT HIS HIGH FEASTS 381

NOTES.—1. _Order of the Tables._ 2. _The word |Vernique|._
3. _The Buffet of Liquors._ 4. _The superstition of
the Threshold._ 5. _Chinese Etiquettes._ 6. _Jugglers
at the Banquet._

XIV.—CONCERNING THE GREAT FEAST HELD BY THE GRAND KAAN EVERY YEAR
ON HIS BIRTHDAY 386

NOTES.—1. _The Chinese Year._ 2. “_Beaten Gold._” 3.
_Textual. Festal changes of costume._ 4. _Festivals._

XV.—OF THE GREAT FESTIVAL WHICH THE KAAN HOLDS ON NEW YEAR’S
DAY 390

NOTES.—1. _The White Month._ 2. _Mystic value of the number
9._ 3. _Elephants at Peking._ 4. _Adoration of
Tablets. K’o-tow._

XVI.—CONCERNING THE TWELVE THOUSAND BARONS WHO RECEIVE ROBES OF
CLOTH OF GOLD FROM THE EMPEROR ON THE GREAT FESTIVALS,
THIRTEEN CHANGES A-PIECE 394

NOTES.—1. _Textual._ 2. _The words |Camut| and |Borgal|._
3. _Tame Lions._

XVII.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN ENJOINETH HIS PEOPLE TO SUPPLY HIM WITH
GAME 396

NOTE.—_Parallel Passage._

XVIII.—OF THE LIONS AND LEOPARDS AND WOLVES THAT THE KAAN KEEPS
FOR THE CHASE 397

NOTES.—1. _The Cheeta or Hunting Leopard._ 2. _Lynxes._ 3.
_The Tiger, termed |Lion| by Polo._ 4. _The Búrgút
Eagle._

XIX.—CONCERNING THE TWO BROTHERS WHO HAVE CHARGE OF THE KAAN’S
HOUNDS 400

NOTE.—_The Masters of the Hounds, and their title._

XX.—HOW THE EMPEROR GOES ON A HUNTING EXPEDITION 402

NOTES.—1. _Direction of the Tour._ 2. _Hawking
Establishments._ 3. _The word |Tosḳáúl|._ 4. _The word
|Bularguchi|._ 5. _Kúblái’s Litter._ 6. _Kachar Modun._
7. _The Kaan’s Great Tents._ 8. _The Sable and
Ermine._ 9. _Pétis de la Croix._

XXI.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN, ON RETURNING FROM HIS HUNTING
EXPEDITION, HOLDS A GREAT COURT AND ENTERTAINMENT 410

NOTE.—_This chapter peculiar to the 2nd Type of MSS._

XXII.—CONCERNING THE CITY OF CAMBALUC, AND ITS GREAT TRAFFIC AND
POPULATION 412

NOTES.—1. _Suburbs of Peking._ 2. _The word |Fondaco|._

XXIII.—[CONCERNING THE OPPRESSIONS OF ACHMATH THE BAILO, AND THE
PLOT THAT WAS FORMED AGAINST HIM] 415

NOTES.—1. _Chapter peculiar to Ramusio._ 2. _Kúblái’s
Administration. The Rise of Ahmad._ 3. _The term
|Bailo|._ 4. _The Conspiracy against Ahmad as related
by Gaubil from the Chinese._ 5. _Marco’s presence and
upright conduct commemorated in the Chinese Annals.
The Kaan’s prejudice against Mahomedans._

XXIV.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSETH THE BARK OF TREES, MADE INTO
SOMETHING LIKE PAPER, TO PASS FOR MONEY OVER ALL HIS COUNTRY 423

NOTE.—_Chinese Paper Currency._

XXV.—CONCERNING THE TWELVE BARONS WHO ARE SET OVER ALL THE
AFFAIRS OF THE GREAT KAAN 430

NOTE.—_The Ministers of the Mongol Dynasty. The term
|Sing|._

XXVI.—HOW THE KAAN’S POSTS AND RUNNERS ARE SPED THROUGH MANY
LANDS AND PROVINCES 433

NOTES.—1. _Textual._ 2. _The word |Yam|._ 3. _Government
Hostelries._ 4. _Digression from Ramusio._ 5. _Posts
Extraordinary._ 6. _Discipline of the Posts._ 7.
_Antiquity of Posts in China, etc._

XXVII.—HOW THE EMPEROR BESTOWS HELP ON HIS PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ARE
AFFLICTED WITH DEARTH OR MURRAIN 439

NOTE.—_Kúblái’s remissions, and justice._

XXVIII.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSES TREES TO BE PLANTED BY THE
HIGHWAYS 440

NOTE.—_Kúblái’s Avenues._

XXIX.—CONCERNING THE RICE-WINE DRUNK BY THE PEOPLE OF CATHAY 441

NOTE.—_Rice-wine._

XXX.—CONCERNING THE BLACK STONES THAT ARE DUG IN CATHAY, AND ARE
BURNT FOR FUEL 442

NOTE.—_Distribution and Consumption of Coal in China._

XXXI.—HOW THE GREAT KAAN CAUSES STORES OF CORN TO BE MADE, TO
HELP HIS PEOPLE WITHAL IN TIME OF DEARTH 443

NOTE.—_The Chinese Public Granaries._

XXXII.—OF THE CHARITY OF THE EMPEROR TO THE POOR 444

NOTE.—_Buddhist influence, and Chinese Charities._

XXXIII.—[CONCERNING THE ASTROLOGERS IN THE CITY OF CAMBALUC] 446

NOTES.—1. _The word |Tacuin|.—_The Chinese Almanacs. The
Observatory._ 2. _The Chinese and Mongol Cycle._

XXXIV.—[CONCERNING THE RELIGION OF THE CATHAYANS; THEIR VIEWS AS
TO THE SOUL; AND THEIR CUSTOMS] 456

NOTES.—1. _Textual._ 2. _Do._ 3. _Exceptions to the general
charge of Irreligion brought against the Chinese._
4. _Politeness._ 5. _Filial Piety._ 6. _Pocket
Spitoons._

EXPLANATORY LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOLUME I.

INSERTED PLATES AND MAPS.

_To face
page_
_Title_ PORTRAIT of Sir HENRY YULE. From the Painting by Mr. T. B.
Wirgman, in the Royal Engineers’ Mess House at Chatham.

iv. Illuminated Title, with Medallion representing the POLOS
ARRIVING AT VENICE after 26 years’ absence, and being refused
admittance to the Family Mansion; as related by Ramusio, p.
_4_ of Introductory Essay. Drawn by Signor QUINTO CENNI, No.
7 Via Solferino, Milan; from a Design by the Editor.

_1._ DOORWAY of the HOUSE of MARCO POLO in the Corte Sabbionera at
Venice (see p. _27_). Woodcut from a drawing by Signor L.
ROSSO, Venice.

_26._ _Corte del Milione_, Venice.

_28._ _Malibran Theatre_, Venice.

_30._ Entrance to the Corte del Milione, Venice. From photographs
taken for the present editor, by Signor NAYA.

_42._ Figures from St. Sabba’s, sent to Venice. From a photograph of
Signor NAYA.

_50._ Church of SAN MATTEO, at Genoa.

_62._ _Palazzo di S. Giorgio_, at Genoa.

_68._ _Miracle of S. Lorenzo_. From the Painting by V. CARPACCIO.

_70._ FACSIMILE of the WILL of MARCO POLO, preserved in St. Mark’s
Library. Lithographed from a photograph specially taken by
Bertani at Venice.

_74._ Pavement in front of S. Lorenzo.

_76._ Mosaic Portrait of Marco Polo, at Genoa.

_78._ The Pseudo Marco Polo at Canton.

_80._ Porcelain Incense-Burner, from the Louvre.

_82._ Temple of 500 Genii, at Canton, after a drawing by FÉLIX
RÉGAMEY.

_108._ Probable view of MARCO POLO’S OWN GEOGRAPHY: a Map of the
World, formed as far as possible from the Traveller’s own
data. Drawn by the Editor.

_134._ Part of the _Catalan Map_ of 1375.

• • • • •

1. Marco Polo’s Itineraries, No. I. WESTERN ASIA. This includes
also “Sketch showing the chief Monarchies of Asia, in the
latter part of the 13th century.”

4. Map illustrating the geographical position of the CITY of SARAI.

4. Plan of part of the remains of the same city. Reduced from a
Russian plan published by _M. Grigorieff_.

29 Reduced FACSIMILE of the BUDDHIST INSCRIPTION of the Mongol
& 30. Era, on the Archway at KIU-YONG KWAN in the Pass of Nan-k’au,
north-west of Peking, showing the characters in use under the
Mongol Dynasty. Photogravure from the _Recueil des documents
de l’Époque Mongole_, by H.H. Prince ROLAND BONAPARTE. _See
an Article by_ Mr. Wylie _in the J. R. A. S. for 1870, p. 14._

41. Plan of AYAS, the Laias of Polo. _From an Admiralty Chart_.

41. Plan of position of DILÁWAR, the supposed site of the Dilavar
of Polo. _Ext. from a Survey by Lt.-Col. D. G. Robinson, R.E._

114. Marco Polo’s Itineraries, No. II. Routes between KERMAN and
HORMUZ.

178. Marco Polo’s Itineraries, No. III. Regions on and near the
UPPER OXUS.

305. Heading, in the old Chinese seal-character, of an INSCRIPTION
on a Memorial raised by Kúblái Kaan to a Buddhist
Ecclesiastic, in the vicinity of his summer-palace at SHANGTU
in Mongolia. Reduced from a facsimile obtained on the spot by
_Dr. S. W. Bushell_, 1872, and by him lent to the Editor.

319. The CHO-KHANG. The grand Temple of Buddha at _Lhasa_, from _The
Journey to Lhasa_, by SARAT CHANDRA DAS, by kind permission
of the Royal Geographical Society.

352. “_Table d’Or de Commandement_;” the PAÏZA of the MONGOLS, from
a specimen found in Siberia. _Reduced to one-half the scale
of the original, from an engraving in a paper by_ I. J.
Schmidt _in the_ Bulletin de la Classe Historico-Philologique
de l’Acad. Imp. des Sciences, St.-Pétersbourg, tom. iv. No. 9.

355. Second Example of a Mongol Païza with superscription in the
Uighúr character, found near the Dnieper River, 1845. From
_Trans. of the Oriental Section, Imp. Soc. of Archæology_
of St. Petersburg, vol. v. The Inscription on this runs:
“_By the strength of Eternal Heaven, and thanks to Its Great
Power, the Man who obeys not the order of Abdullah shall be
guilty, shall die._”

376. Plan of PEKING as it is, and as it was about A.D. 1290.

426. BANK-NOTE of the MING Dynasty, on one-half the scale of the
original. Reduced from a genuine note in the possession of
the British Museum. Was brought back from Peking after the
siege of the Legations in 1900.

448. Mongol “Compendium Instrument.”

450. Mongol Armillary Sphere.

452. Observatory Terrace.

454. Observatory Instruments of the Jesuits. All these from
photographs kindly lent to the present Editor by Count de
Semallé.

_last Marco Polo’s Itineraries. No. IV. EASTERN ASIA. This includes
page_ also Sketch Map of the Ruins of SHANGTU, after Dr. BUSHELL;
and Enlarged Sketch of the Passage of the Hwang-ho or
Karamoran on the road to Si-ngan fu (see vol. ii. pp. 25–27)
from the data of _Baron von Richthofen_.

WOODCUTS PRINTED WITH THE TEXT.

INTRODUCTORY NOTICES.

_Page_
x. A MEDIÆVAL SHIP.

xxvi. COAT OF ARMS of Sir HENRY YULE.

_7._ ARMS of the POLO family, according to Priuli.

_8._ ARMS of the POLO family, according to Marco Barbaro. (See p. 7,
note.)

_13._ Autograph of HETHUM or HAYTON I. King of (Cilician) Armenia;
copied from _Codice Diplomatico del Sacro Militare Ordine
Gerosolemitano_, I. 135. The signature is attached to a
French document without date, granting the King’s Daughter
“Damoiselle Femie” (Euphemia) in marriage to Sire Julian,
son of the Lady of Sayete (Sidon). The words run: _Thagávor
Haiwetz_ (“Rex Armenorum”), followed by the King’s cypher or
monogram; but the initial letter is absent, probably worn off
the original document.

_18._ The PIAZZETTA at VENICE in the 14th century. From a portion of
the Frontispiece Miniature of the MS. of Marco Polo in the
Bodleian. (Borrowed from the _National Miscellany_, published
by J. H. Parker, Oxford, for 1853–55; and see _Street’s Brick
and Marble_, etc., 1855, pp. 150–151.) [See vol. ii. p. 529.]

_29._ Three extracts from MAPS of VENICE, showing the site of the CA’
POLO at three different periods, (1) From the great woodcut
Map or View of Venice, dated 1500, and commonly called Albert
Dürer’s. (2) From a Plan by Cav. Ludovico Ughi, 1729. (3)
From the Modern Official Plan of the City.

_34._ Diagram of arrangement of oars in galleys.

_35._ Extract from a fresco by SPINELLO ARETINI, in the Municipal
Palace at SIENA, representing a GALLEY-FIGHT (perhaps
imaginary) between the Venetians and the fleet of the Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa, and illustrating the arrangements
of mediæval galleys. Drawn from a very dim and imperfect
photograph, after personal study of the original, by the
Editor.

_37._ Extract from a picture by DOMENICO TINTORETTO in the Ducal
Palace at Venice, representing the same GALLEY-FIGHT. After
an engraving in the _Theatrum Venetum_.

_49._ MARCO POLO’S GALLEY going into action at CURZOLA. Drawn by
Signor Q. CENNI, from a design by the Editor.

_50._ Map to illustrate the SEA-FIGHT at CURZOLA, where Marco Polo
was taken prisoner.

_57._ SEAL of the PISAN PRISONERS in Genoa, after the battle of
Meloria (1284). From _Manni, Osservazioni Storiche sopra
Sigilli Antichi_, tom. xii. Engraved by T. ADENEY.

_75._ The Convent and CHURCH of S. LORENZO, the burial-place of Marco
Polo, as it existed in the 15th century. From the Map of 1500
(see above). Engraved by the same.

_78._ Arms of the TREVISAN family, according to Priuli.

_120._ TAILED STAR near the Antarctic, as Marco Polo drew it for
Pietro d’Abano. From the _Conciliator_ of Pietro d’Abano.