Kyle Poirot, a 70-year-old traveler, is very famous in Venice. At the end of his life, he still insisted that all his stories about the East were "childlike innocence" and completely true.
A priest who saw Kyle Poirot for the last time said that before he died, the old Poirot had to show that he had not deceived the polis. "He said he just didn't tell what the other half saw and heard."
Father Nisio wants Kyle Poirot to admit that his travel book is full of rubbish.
Kyle Poirot 17 left Venice, his birthplace, and returned 25 years later, 29 years ago (1295) with a lot of wealth and oriental stories. He told people in his hometown that he had lived, traveled and even been an official in the Mongolian Empire for most of his life.
The world's largest empire, built by horses and fierce herders, has spread all over Asia and Eastern Europe. But before Kelpolo, Europeans knew little about it.
The eastern "concept" of the church is either empty or inhabited by beasts and demons. Of course, in the eyes of ordinary Christians, dealing with the devil is the fall of the soul.
Kyle Poirot brought back a completely different version. As the first European to cross the Asian continent, he told his fellow villagers that Mongolian Khan was not terrible, and he also hoped to trade directly with Europe. More importantly, China, the foundation of the Khan regime, has a civilization far above Europe.
These oriental stories are mainly written in Kyle Poirot's travels. The four-volume Book of * * * has been translated and published in large quantities since its publication, becoming the best-selling travel book in the Middle Ages and having the greatest influence on Europeans.
Of course, travel notes have also caused a lot of controversy. Some Venetians said, "That's what he heard in the Persian business camp." At that time, it was "the end" to do business in Persia.
Pompiri, a fruit seller near Saint Kyle Square, recalled: "When Kyle returned to Venice, no one recognized him and no one believed him. Look at him in Tatar clothes, and say he is pretending. However, later he took out the treasure and everyone had to believe it. "
At that time, Kyle Poirot's "Oriental Expo" exhibited ivory, jade, porcelain, silk and paper money, which quickly caused a sensation. He told the Venetians: "Anyone who is willing to pay the price and venture to the Far East can make huge profits from the trade of gold, jewelry, silk and spices."
Whether it is exaggerated or not, many locals are really curious about the East, or have dreams of getting rich.
Although the boatman Perrin can't read and hasn't read travel notes, he tells stories and his heart itches. "If I were a teenager, I would definitely try my luck in the East."
It's not just Venetians who admire Kyle Poirot. An Arab businessman who arrived shortly after the spice ship privately said that using the Silk Road was a privilege granted to Arabs by Mongols, and it would be unfavorable for them if Venice directly traded with China. But he said that he admired Kyle Poirot's perseverance and his adventurous spirit. He said, "You know, it will take years from here to China!"
Close-up: Europe's first China expert businessman, official, traveler, adventurer, soldier, language genius, storyteller ... Kyle Poirot has everything you want.
His life course was so wonderful that his travel notes recorded by the pizza writer Ruth Tiqian easily became the best-selling works in medieval Europe.
The author of the original travel book Strange Records of the World commented on his "storyteller" in this way: "Since God created Adam, no one, whether Christian, pagan, Tatar, Indian or of any race, has been to so many places in the world to observe and explore and know so many strange customs like Kyle Polo."
127 1 year, my father and uncle started their second trip to the east. Kyle, 17 years old, curious about the world outside Europe, said goodbye to Venice that time.
The three men first went to Israel, then crossed Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Pamirs, Taklimakan Desert into Xinjiang, and then Gansu ... It was not until 1275 that they came to the palace capital not far from Beijing and met Kublai Khan Yuan Shundi, who was eager to know Europe at that time.
During the trip, Kyle Poirot was ill for more than a year due to lack of oxygen at high altitude. Other dangers that must be overcome include sandstorms, avalanches, droughts and bandits. They also survived many times in plague-endemic areas and conflicts between crusaders and Muslims.
Kublai Khan admired the perseverance of three people. Kyle Poirot, intelligent and studious, understands oriental customs and languages, and is highly valued. During the period of 10 in the Yuan Empire, Kelpolo was the highest consul of Yangzhou, and he also visited Vietnam, Java and Sumatra.
1In the summer of 292, taking the opportunity of escorting the Mongolian princess to Persia (now Iran), the Polos set out from Quanzhou and spent more than three years before miraculously returning to Venice.
Kyle Poirot, who brought back many oriental treasures, became a rich man and was called a "millionaire". But at the same time, he also got the title of "million liars" because many Venetians thought his Arabian Nights was not credible.
According to his travel notes, Hangzhou, the capital of the former Southern Song Dynasty, has a huge market of 10, with10.6 million houses and10.4 million workshops ... Europeans regard pepper as a luxury, but Hangzhou people consume 4740 kilograms every day, which is simply a paradise on earth! In addition, he said that there are 65438+2000 stone bridges in the city, and ships can pass under them! Imagine, how can people in Venice, a water town, swallow this tone?
There are more than 65,438+000 Asian cities mentioned in the travel notes, and many descriptions have surprised Europeans. For example, he said that he saw gushing springs (an oil field in Baku), combustible stones (coal), light paper (banknotes) as money ... Blacksmith Ciraolo said that he would not believe it even if he was killed. "Everyone works hard for copper coins or silver coins and gives a piece of paper. Who will accept it? "
But Zorro, the owner who claimed to have seen Kelpolo take out the jewels, said, "If it weren't for the king of Tatar, who could give so much wealth?"
Comment: If China also had The Journey to the West, did Kelpolo cheat the Venetians at that time?
Probably no travel book can cause so many centuries of debate. Today, there are still skeptics, such as British book scholar Wood, who said, "The story is wonderful, but … like many great historical legends, it is a myth."
She said, "If Kyle Poirot has really been to China, why have all the most important things, such as the Great Wall, tea, chopsticks, Chinese characters and women's foot binding, been missed?"
Some scholars have also consulted China's literature. Their biggest question is that the records of China historians are as detailed as a running account, but Kyle Poirot has never even seen his own name.
Expand that geographical and spiritual horizons of European.
However, these opinions can't change the orthodox view that Kyle Polo has indeed been to China, and can't change the fact that travel notes have expanded the geographical and spiritual horizons of Europeans in the Middle Ages.
Before Kelpolo, Venetians thought they were the richest city-states in the Mediterranean and even the whole Christian world. It's called "underground sea", but what is the center of the world?
However, the great traveler pointed out that the East has a greater center of civilization and power, and with some exaggerated narratives, he inspired Europeans to form an oriental complex in the following centuries. Many people began to flock to the East and learn from it, which changed Europe. When they began to excel in science, technology, industry and military affairs, they knew the world better than all their competitors.
In fact, the first accurate map of Asia owned by Europeans was made with reference to Marco Polo's Travels. Some people think that imperialism and Orientalism were born on the same day! And Kyle Poirot is the initiator of all this "one-way learning".
It is China's regret to lose his own Kyle Polo. In a word, it is China's regret to lose his own Kyle Polo. Wei Yuan's "Atlas of the Sea" "Control foreign countries with foreign countries", until the cannon hits the door, it is too late.
Starting from Kelpolo, the tilt angle began to reverse on the balance of eastern and western civilizations. Whether Venice and even Europe were deceived or not, their statement that "Columbus changed geography and Kyle Polo changed history" is absolutely correct.
Appendix: Kyle Poirot brought back glasses and ice cream? When I visited Venice in the14th century, I was most surprised to find that glasses had been produced locally. According to the elders, this kind of "glass" was also brought by Kyle Polo from the East.
Oh, Kyle Poirot again.
By the way, the advent of glasses has a great influence on future generations. One view is that it ensures that "the world is not ruled by young people under 40". Europeans should thank Kyle Poirot. There seems to be a lot more.
For example, the Venetians have never seen China's paint, which is a colorful painting material. Kyle and Porojean saw it.
China people were the first to use paper money. Venetians who still use precious gold, tin and copper coins were also surprised.
Also, if Kelpolo didn't bring back recipes from China, modern Italians would hardly enjoy delicious pasta and ice cream.
Future human language: the distance between the east and the west continents is close to Kyle's polo, bringing Europeans a brand-new world of knowledge. Travels have broken many suspicions and religious fallacies and aroused Europeans' yearning for the East. From then on, the distance between the two continents began to narrow.
Many valuable maps in the Middle Ages were made with reference to travel notes. Many great European navigators were inspired and encouraged by Kyle Poirot.
In fact, the discovery of American continent was accidental, because the original destination of Columbus, a loyal reader of travel notes, was rich China. At that time, Europeans believed that there was a vast ocean to the east of China, and on the other side of the ocean, it was the hometown of Europe.
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