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ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:
TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

Volume1,translatedandeditedbyColonelSirHenryYule
(London:JohnMurray,1903)

BOOKSECOND.PARTI.
CHAPTERVIII.CONCERNINGTHEPERSONOFTHEGREATKAAN

The personal appearance of the Great Kaan, Lord of Lords, whose name is Cublay, is
suchasIshallnowtellyou.Heisofagoodstature,neithertallnorshort,butofamiddleheight.
He has a becoming amount of flesh, and is very shapely in all his limbs. His complexion is
whiteandred,theeyesblackandfine,thenosewellformedandwellseton.Hehasfourwives,
whomheretainspermanentlyashislegitimateconsorts;andtheeldestofhissonsbythosefour
wivesoughtbyrightstobeemperorImeanwhenhisfatherdies.Thosefourladiesarecalled
empresses,buteachisdistinguishedalsobyherpropername.Andeachofthemhasaspecial
court of her own, very grand and ample; no one of them having fewer than 300 fair and
charmingdamsels.Theyhavealsomanypagesandeunuchs,andanumberofotherattendants
ofbothsexes;sothateachoftheseladieshasnotlessthan10,000personsattachedtohercourt.

WhentheEmperordesiresthesocietyofoneofthesefourconsorts,hewillsometimes
send for the lady to his apartment and sometimes visit her at her own. He has also a great
numberofconcubines,andIwilltellyouhowheobtainsthem.

You must know that there is a tribe of Tartars called Ungrat, who are noted for their
beauty.Noweveryyearanhundredofthemostbeautifulmaidensofthistribearesenttothe
Great Kaan, who commits them to the charge of certain elderly ladies dwelling in his palace.
And these old ladies make the girls sleep with them, in order to ascertain if they have sweet
breath [and do not snore], and are sound in all their limbs. Then such of them as are of
approved beauty, and are good and sound in all respects, are appointed to attend on the
Emperorbyturns.Thussixofthesedamselstaketheirturnforthreedaysandnights,andwait
onhimwhenheisinhischamberandwhenheisinhisbed,toservehiminanyway,andtobe
entirelyathisorders.Attheendofthethreedaysandnightstheyarerelievedbyothersix.And
sothroughouttheyear,therearereliefsofmaidensbysixandsix,changingeverythreedays
andnights.

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ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:
TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

Volume1,translatedandeditedbyColonelSirHenryYule
(London:JohnMurray,1903)

BOOKSECOND.PARTI.
CHAPTERIX.CONCERNINGTHEGREATKAANSSONS

The Emperor hath, by those four wives of his, twentytwo male children; the eldest of
whomwascalledChinkinfortheloveofthegoodChinghisKaan,thefirstLordoftheTartars.
AndthisChinkin,astheEldestSonoftheKaan,wastohavereignedafterhisfathersdeath;but,
asitcametopass,hedied.Heleftasonbehindhim,however,whosenameisTemur,andheis
tobetheGreatKaanandEmperorafterthedeathofhisGrandfather,asisbutright;hebeing
thechildoftheGreatKaanseldestson.AndthisTemurisanableandbraveman,ashehath
alreadyprovenonmanyoccasions.

TheGreatKaanhathalsotwentyfiveothersonsbyhisconcubines;andthesearegood
andvaliantsoldiers,andeachofthemisagreatchief.Itellyoumoreoverthatofhischildrenby
his four lawful wives there are seven who are kings of vast realms or provinces, and govern
themwell;beingallableandgallantmen,asmightbeexpected.FortheGreatKaantheirsireis,
Itellyou,thewisestandmostaccomplishedman,thegreatestCaptain,thebesttogovernmen
and rule an Empire, as well as the most valiant that ever has existed among all the Tribes of
Tartars.

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ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:
TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

Volume1,translatedandeditedbyColonelSirHenryYule
(London:JohnMurray,1903)

BOOKSECOND.PARTI.
CHAPTERX.CONCERNINGTHEPALACEOFTHEGREATKAAN

You must know that for three months of the year, to wit December, January, and
February,theGreatKaanresidesinthecapitalcityofCathay,whichiscalledCambaluc,[and
whichisatthenortheasternextremityofthecountry].InthatcitystandshisgreatPalace,and
nowIwilltellyouwhatitislike.

Itisenclosedallroundbyagreatwallformingasquare,eachsideofwhichisamilein
length;thatistosay,thewholecompassthereofisfourmiles.Thisyoumaydependon;itisalso
very thick, and a good ten paces in height, whitewashed and loopholed all round. At each
angleofthewallthereisaveryfineandrichpalaceinwhichthewarharnessoftheEmperoris
kept, such as bows and quivers, two saddles and bridles, and bowstrings, and everything
needfulforanarmy.AlsomidwaybetweeneverytwooftheseCornerPalacesthereisanother
ofthelike;sothattakingthewholecompassoftheenclosureyoufindeightvastPalacesstored
withtheGreatLordsharnessofwar.AndyoumustunderstandthateachPalaceisassignedto
only one kind of article; thus one is stored with bows, a second with saddles, a third with
bridles,andsooninsuccessionrightround.

The great wall has five gates on its southern face, the middle one being the great gate
whichisneveropenedonanyoccasionexceptwhentheGreatKaanhimselfgoesforthorenters.
Closeoneithersideofthisgreatgateisasmalleronebywhichallotherpeoplepass;andthen
towards each angle is another great gate, also open to people in general; so that on that side
therearefivegatesinall.

Insideofthiswallthereisasecond,enclosingaspacethatissomewhatgreaterinlength
thaninbreadth.Thisenclosurealsohaseightpalacescorrespondingtothoseoftheouterwall,
and stored like them with the Lords harness of war. This wall also hath five gates on the
southernface,correspondingtothoseintheouterwall,andhathonegateoneachoftheother
faces, as the outer wall hath also. In the middle of the second enclosure is the Lords Great
Palace,andIwilltellyouwhatitislike.
 ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

You must know that it is the greatest palace that ever was. [Towards the north it is in
contactwiththeouterwall,whilsttowardsthesouththereisavacantspacewhichtheBarons
and the soldiers are constantly traversing. The Palace itself] hath no upper story, but is all on
thegroundfloor,onlythebasementisraisedsometenpalmsabovethesurroundingsoil[and
thiselevationisretainedbyawallofmarbleraisedtothelevelofthepavement,twopacesin
width and projecting beyond the base of the Palace so as to form a kind of terracewalk, by
whichpeoplecanpassroundthebuilding,andwhichisexposedtoview,whilstontheouter
edgeofthewallthereisaveryfinepillaredbalustrade;anduptothisthepeopleareallowedto
come].Theroofisverylofty,andthewallsofthePalaceareallcoveredwithgoldandsilver.
Theyarealsoadornedwithrepresentationsofdragons[sculpturedandgilt],beastsandbirds,
knightsandidols,andsundryothersubjects.Andontheceilingtooyouseenothingbutgold
andsilverandpainting.[Oneachofthefoursidesthereisagreatmarblestaircaseleadingto
thetopofthemarblewall,andformingtheapproachtothePalace.]

TheHallofthePalaceissolargethatitcouldeasilydine6000people;anditisquitea
marveltoseehowmanyroomstherearebesides.Thebuildingisaltogethersovast,sorich,and
sobeautiful,thatnomanonearthcoulddesignanythingsuperiortoit.Theoutsideoftheroof
also is all coloured with vermilion and yellow and green and blue and other hues, which are
fixed with a varnish so fine and exquisite that they shine like crystal, and lend a resplendent
lustretothePalaceasseenforagreatwayround.Thisroofismadetoowithsuchstrengthand
soliditythatitisfittolastforever.

[On the interior side of the Palace are large buildings with halls and chambers, where
theEmperorsprivatepropertyisplaced,suchashistreasuresofgold,silver,gems,pearls,and
goldplate,andinwhichresidetheladiesandconcubines.Thereheoccupieshimselfathisown
convenience,andnooneelsehasaccess.]

BetweenthetwowallsoftheenclosurewhichIhavedescribed,therearefineparksand
beautifultreesbearingavarietyoffruits.Therearebeastsalsoofsundrykinds,suchaswhite
stagsandfallowdeer,gazellesandroebucks,andfinesquirrelsofvarioussorts,withnumbers
also of the animal that gives the musk, and all manner of other beautiful creatures, insomuch
that the whole place is full of them, and no spot remains void except where there is traffic of
peoplegoingandcoming.[Theparksarecoveredwithabundantgrass;andtheroadsthrough
thembeingallpavedandraisedtwocubitsabovethesurface,theyneverbecomemuddy,nor
doestherainlodgeonthem,butflowsoffintothemeadows,quickeningthesoilandproducing
thatabundanceofherbage.]

Fromthatcorneroftheenclosurewhichistowardsthenorthwestthereextendsafine
Lake, containing foison of fish of different kinds which the Emperor hath caused to be put in
there,sothatwheneverhedesiresanyhecanhavethemathispleasure.Ariverentersthislake
andissuesfromit,butthereisagratingofironorbrassputupsothatthefishcannotescapein
thatway.

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 ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

MoreoveronthenorthsideofthePalace,aboutabowshotoff,thereisahillwhichhas
beenmadebyart[fromtheearthdugoutofthelake];itisagoodhundredpacesinheightanda
mileincompass.Thishillisentirelycoveredwithtreesthatneverlosetheirleaves,butremain
ever green. And I assure you that wherever a beautiful tree may exist, and the Emperor gets
newsofit,hesendsforitandhasittransportedbodilywithallitsrootsandtheearthattached
tothem,andplantedonthathillofhis.Nomatterhowbigthetreemaybe,hegetsitcarriedby
hiselephants;andinthiswayhehasgottogetherthemostbeautifulcollectionoftreesinallthe
world.Andhehasalsocausedthewholehilltobecoveredwiththeoreofazure,whichisvery
green.Andthusnotonlyarethetreesallgreen,butthehillitselfisallgreenlikewise;andthere
isnothingtobeseenonitthatisnotgreen;andhenceitiscalledtheGreenMount;andingood
soothtisnamedwell.

Onthetopofthehillagainthereisafinebigpalacewhichisallgreeninsideandout;
and thus the hill, and the trees, and the palace form together a charming spectacle; and it is
marvellous to see their uniformity of colour! Everybody who sees them is delighted. And the
Great Kaan had caused this beautiful prospect to be formed for the comfort and solace and
delectationofhisheart.

You must know that beside the Palace (that we have been describing), i.e. the Great
Palace,theEmperorhascausedanothertobebuiltjustlikehisownineveryrespect,andthishe
hathdoneforhissonwhenheshallreignandbeEmperorafterhim.Henceitismadejustinthe
same fashion and of the same size, so that everything can be carried on in the same manner
afterhisowndeath.[ItstandsontheothersideofthelakefromtheGreatKaansPalace,and
thereisabridgecrossingthewaterfromonetotheother]ThePrinceinquestionholdsnowa
SealofEmpire,butnotwithsuchcompleteauthorityastheGreatKaan,whoremainsSupreme
aslongashelives.NowIamgoingtotellyouofthechiefcityofCathay,inwhichthesePalaces
stand;andwhyitwasbuilt,andhow.

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ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:
TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

Volume1,translatedandeditedbyColonelSirHenryYule
(London:JohnMurray,1903)

BOOKSECOND.PARTI.
CHAPTERXI.CONCERNINGTHECITYOFCAMBALUC

NowtherewasonthatspotinoldtimesagreatandnoblecitycalledCambaluc,which
isasmuchastosayinourtongueThecityoftheEmperor.ButtheGreatKaanwasinformed
by his Astrologers that this city would prove rebellious, and raise great disorders against his
imperialauthority.Sohecausedthepresentcitytobebuiltclosebesidetheoldone,withonlya
liverbetweenthem.Andhecausedthepeopleoftheoldcitytoberemovedtothenewtown
that he had founded; and this is called Taidu. [However, he allowed a portion of the people
which he did not suspect to remain in the old city, because the new one could not hold the
wholeofthem,bigasitis.]

Asregardsthesizeofthis(new)cityyoumustknowthatithasacompassof24miles,
foreachsideofithathalengthof61miles,anditisfoursquare.Anditisallwalledroundwith
wallsofearthwhichhaveathicknessoffulltenpacesatbottom,andaheightofmorethanten
paces;buttheyarenotsothickattop,fortheydiminishinthicknessastheyrise,sothatattop
they are only about three paces thick. And they are provided throughout with loopholed
battlements,whichareallwhitewashed.

Therearetwelvegates,andovereachgatethereisagreatandhandsomepalace,sothat
thereareoneachsideofthesquarethreegatesandfivepalaces;for(Ioughttomention)thereis
ateachanglealsoagreatandhandsomepalace.Inthosepalacesarevasthallsinwhicharekept
thearmsofthecitygarrison.

Thestreetsaresostraightandwidethatyoucanseerightalongthemfromendtoend
andfromonegatetotheother.Andupanddownthecitytherearebeautifulpalaces,andmany
greatandfinehostelries,andfinehousesingreatnumbers.Alltheplotsofgroundonwhichthe
housesofthecityarebuiltarefoursquare,andlaidoutwithstraightlines;alltheplotsbeing
occupiedbygreatandspaciouspalaces,withcourtsandgardensofproportionatesize.Allthese
plots were assigned to different heads of families. Each square plot is encompassed by
handsome streets for traffic; and thus the whole city is arranged in squares just like a chess
 ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

board, and disposed in a manner so perfect and masterly that it is impossible to give a
descriptionthatshoulddoitjustice.

Moreover,inthemiddleofthecitythereisagreatclockthatistosay,abellwhichis
struckatnight.Andafterithasstruckthreetimesnoonemustgooutinthecity,unlessitbefor
the needs of a woman in labour, or of the sick. And those who go about on such errands are
boundtocarrylanternswiththem.Moreover,theestablishedguardateachgateofthecityis
1,000armedmen;notthatyouaretoimaginethisguardiskeptupforfearofanyattack,but
only as a guard of honour for the Sovereign, who resides there, and to prevent thieves from
doingmischiefinthetown.

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ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:
TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

Volume1,translatedandeditedbyColonelSirHenryYule
(London:JohnMurray,1903)

BOOKSECOND.PARTI.
CHAPTERXXII.CONCERNINGTHECITYOFCAMBALUC,
ANDITSGREATTRAFFICANDPOPULATION

YoumustknowthatthecityofCambaluchathsuchamultitudeofhouses,andsucha
vastpopulationinsidethewallsandoutside,thatitseemsquitepastallpossibility.Thereisa
suburboutsideeachofthegates,whicharetwelveinnumber;andthesesuburbsaresogreat
thattheycontainmorepeoplethanthecityitself[forthesuburbofonegatespreadsinwidthtill
itmeetsthesuburbofthenext,whilsttheyextendinlengthsomethreeorfourmiles].Inthose
suburbs lodge the foreign merchants and travellers, of whom there are always great numbers
whohavecometobringpresentstotheEmperor,ortosellarticlesatCourt,orbecausethecity
affords so good a mart to attract traders. [There are in each of the suburbs, to a distance of a
milefromthecity,numerousfinehostelriesforthelodgmentofmerchantsfromdifferentparts
oftheworld,andaspecialhostelryisassignedtoeachdescriptionofpeople,asifweshouldsay
thereisonefortheLombards,anotherfortheGermans,andathirdfortheFrenchmen.]And
thus there are as many good houses outside of the city as inside, without counting those that
belongtothegreatlordsandbarons,whichareverynumerous.

Youmustknowthatitisforbiddentoburyanydeadbodyinsidethecity.Ifthebodybe
thatofanIdolateritiscarriedoutbeyondthecityandsuburbstoaremoteplaceassignedfor
thepurpose,tobeburnt.Andifitbeofonebelongingtoareligionthecustomofwhichisto
bury,suchastheChristian,theSaracen,orwhatnot,itisalsocarriedoutbeyondthesuburbsto
a distant place assigned for the purpose. And thus the city is preserved in a better and more
healthystate.Moreover,nopublicwomanresidesinsidethecity,butallsuchabideoutsidein
thesuburbs.Andtiswonderfulwhatavastnumberofthesetherearefortheforeigners;itisa
certainfactthattherearemorethan20,000ofthemlivingbyprostitution.Andthatsomanycan
liveinthiswaywillshowyouhowvastisthepopulation.

[Guards patrol the city every night in parties of 30 or 40, looking out for any persons
whomaybeabroadatunseasonablehours,i.e.afterthegreatbellhathstrickenthrice.Ifthey
find any such person he is immediately taken to prison, and examined next morning by the
 ExcerptfromTheBookofSerMarcoPolo:TheVenetianConcerningKingdomsandMarvelsoftheEast

proper officers. If these find him guilty of any misdemeanour they order him a proportionate
beatingwiththestick.Underthispunishmentpeoplesometimesdie;buttheyadoptitinorder
toeschewbloodshed;fortheirbacsissaythatitisanevilthingtoshedmansblood.]

Tothiscityalsoarebroughtarticlesofgreatercostandrarity,andingreaterabundance
ofallkinds,thantoanyothercityintheworld.Forpeopleofeverydescription,andfromevery
region, bring things (including all the costly wares of India, as well as the fine and precious
goodsofCathayitselfwithitsprovinces),someforthesovereign,someforthecourt,somefor
thecitywhichissogreat,someforthecrowdsofBaronsandKnights,someforthegreathosts
oftheEmperorwhicharequarteredroundabout;andthusbetweencourtandcitythequantity
broughtinisendless.

Asasample,Itellyou,nodayintheyearpassesthattheredonotenterthecity1,000
cartloadsof silkalone, from whichare madequantities of clothofsilk and gold, andofother
goods.Andthisisnottobewonderedat;forinallthecountriesroundaboutthereisnoflax,so
thateverythinghastobemadeofsilk.Itistrue,indeed,thatinsomepartsofthecountrythere
is cotton and hemp, but not sufficient for their wants. This, however, is not of much
consequence, because silk is so abundant and cheap, and is a more valuable substance than
eitherflaxorcotton.

Round about this great city of Cambaluc there are some 200 other cities at various
distances, from which traders come to sell their goods and buy others for their lords; and all
findmeanstomaketheirsalesandpurchases,sothatthetrafficofthecityispassinggreat.

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