Description
Journey to China
Book Summary
In Journey to China, Marco Polo recounts the greatest fabulous adventure of the Middle Ages: his crossing to the ends of the Asian continent. This book captures the direct testimony of his experiences among the Mongols and the Chinese, offering a fascinating array of customs and wonders of the Eastern world. A work that, in its time, was treated as a fable or invention, but today stands as an essential document for understanding the encounter between two worlds.
What is it about?
Marco Polo recounts his journey across Asia in the first person, describing with awe the "oddities" he discovers in his interaction with the Mongols and the Chinese. The author details the customs, social organization, natural wealth, and traditions of a world unknown to the Europeans of his time. From trade routes to courtly ceremonies, each page reveals a unique testimony of an era of exploration and discovery.
Main themes
- Exploration and discovery of the Asian continent in the Middle Ages.
- Cultural encounter between the European world and the Mongol and Chinese civilizations.
- Customs, traditions, and social organization of Eastern peoples.
- Travel narrative as historical and literary testimony.
- Perception of the wonderful and the exotic in medieval literature.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in classic travel literature, medieval history, and the encounter between cultures. It will also be of great value to those seeking to understand the origins of exploration narrative and the impact of the first European accounts of Asia.
What this book offers
- A direct and fascinating testimony of one of the most legendary journeys in history.
- A unique window into the customs and daily life of 13th-century China and the Mongol Empire.
- A key work for understanding how the image of the East was constructed in the European imagination.
- A read that combines adventure, history, and anthropology in a captivating narrative.
Technical specifications
- Author: POLO, MARCO
- Publisher: La Linea del Horizonte Ediciones
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: TRAVEL LITERATURE
- Collection: CUADERNOS DE HORIZONTE
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: October 2024
- Number of pages: 240
- Weight: 426 g
Editorial review
Journey to China is a carefully curated edition of an essential classic of travel literature. Marco Polo's work retains all its evocative power and documentary value, offering the contemporary reader a reading experience that transcends time. Recommended for those who wish to rediscover one of the foundational testimonies of the encounter between East and West, in an accessible and well-presented format.