The Slender West Lake is a popular tourist attraction in Yangzhou. — Pixabay
Most people in China have heard of Marco Polo, the Italian merchant and explorer who travelled to China along the ancient Silk Road more than 700 years ago, establishing a bond between the two countries.
However, not many people know that Marco Polo, who lived in China for around 17 years, was appointed as a local official during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) in the city of Yangzhou, a large commercial hub in east China’s Jiangsu Province.
The Italian made a detailed record of the scenery and customs of Yangzhou in his renowned travelogue, which has served as a cultural bridge between the East and the West ever since.
In 2010, Yangzhou began building the Marco Polo Memorial Hall in the city’s downtown area, to showcase the friendship and cultural exchanges between China and Italy, and to preserve this fascinating man’s enduring legacy in the city.
Last year, the municipal government collaborated with the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai to launch a project to upgrade the memorial hall, which was also an important part of the celebrations of the China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism.
The renovated memorial hall, which was completed through cooperation between many Chinese experts and Italian institutions, is now open to the public, with an exhibition area of about 500sq m.
“Yangzhou is a canal city, and Marco Polo left China along the Maritime Silk Road, so the design of the wave-like facade of the memorial hall highlights the common element of the canal and the sea,” said Bu Minfei, director of the memorial hall’s management office.
“We also use multimedia, scene creation and other display methods to make the exhibition more interesting and interactive,” Bu said.
The upgraded memorial hall shows many scenes from Marco Polo’s life in Yangzhou. For example, there is a display that uses high-tech sound and light to reproduce the ancient bustling Dongguan Pier, where the explorer first landed in the city.
The memorial hall has also added some new historical facts and cultural relics related to Marco Polo. Several Italian institutions donated a number of historical exhibits to the memorial hall recently, including a replica of Marco Polo’s will.
Yin Zehua, a Chinese tourist who visited the memorial hall with his family, said they were impressed with the experience.
“We learned about many of the things that Marco Polo accomplished in China, and about the cultural exchange facilitated by this Italian who lived here,” said Yin.
“Living in Yangzhou, we can feel the openness and inclusiveness here.”
Alessandro Prosperi, an Italian engineer who has worked and lived in Yangzhou for nearly nine years, also visited the memorial.
“I am proud to live in China where Marco Polo visited,” said Prosperi. “Following in the footsteps of Marco Polo, I have spared no effort to introduce Yangzhou to more people, and it has gradually become an important mission in my life.”
To date, Yangzhou has established sister-city relationships with three cities in Italy, and it is home to multiple Italian-invested companies. In March this year, the city set up a business liaison office in Italy’s northern city of Milan.
Tiziana D’Angelo, consul general of Italy in Shanghai, said that although Yangzhou and Italy are far apart, they have a deep relationship due to Marco Polo, and the updated memorial hall will act as a bond to consolidate and deepen the friendship between the two sides.
Wang Jinjian, party chief of Yangzhou, said that 2024 marks the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death, and Yangzhou plans to join hands with the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai to build the Marco Polo research and exchange centre and hold more cultural exchange activities.
“China and Italy are both ancient civilisations, and have a long tradition of friendship and exchanges. I believe more and more people would like to follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo to encourage cultural exchange and enhance mutual understanding,” said Bu. – Xinhua
