Tag: Marco Polo

CHINA SERIES | Beijing: where east meets west


There is a huge avenue running from east to west (and vice-versa), whose midpoint is between Tiananmen Square and the Imperial City (which includes the Forbidden City). Besides these old iconic Chinese symbols, the avenue is full of modern buildings, the kind of buildings we are used to seeing in business districts in Western capitals. In reality, there are modern-Western-style buildings everywhere: airports, train stations, residential buildings, shopping centres. Wherever you look, it looks like you are in a Western city. Those who are expecting to see typical Chinese buildings, with the traditional roofs and characteristic doors, are going to be disappointed. Sure, there are palaces and temples from the old days, which are being preserved, especially for tourism purposes, but otherwise the city has been completely transformed.

The Imperial City, which includes the famous Forbidden City, was constructed at the beginning of the 15th century, together with the Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven, a religious sacrificial place, exclusively for the emperor, located about six kilometres south. All these constructions were made to accommodate the emperor in the then new country’s capital. Until then, China’s capital had been Nanjing, further south. In Beijing, the emperor, his wife, his concubines and all his staff would live behind high walls. The Forbidden City was full of buildings with different purposes and where only authorised people could enter.

Similarly, Chinese families were living in courtyards, that is, the rooms were accessible from a central private courtyard. Just like in Forbidden City, each family house was organised according to the cardinal points. For instance, both the emperor and the head of the family would occupy the northern part of the palace/house. During the 20th century, after the end of the emperor’s era, these “courtyard” houses were demolished to give way to Western-like tall residential buildings. A few neighbourhoods are still standing or were reconstructed, but are exceptions.

The history of China is full of this kind of destruction to construct better or different. The skyline of this city, as its name, has changed several times since it was founded. Back at the time of Marco Polo, this city was named Dadu and it was under the rule of the Mongol Empire. Its founder, Genghis Khan, was long gone and the empire was being managed by his descendants. Although the majority of the buildings from that time were destroyed, a few are still standing today, like the Bell and Drum Towers. These Towers are located near the Beijing Central Axis (Imperial City – Tiananmen Square – Temple of Heaven), whose urban planning was conceptualised in Marco Polo’s time.

Near Beijing, the Great Wall of China is a man-made wonder. It started as a small endeavour. Many, many centuries ago, warlords and rulers of the northern provinces felt the need to protect themselves from invaders coming further north, like the Mongolians. It did not work, as Mongolians invaded anyway. Truth to be told, at the time, the great wall did not exist, what existed was small walls built by each warlord or ruler. However, Chinese people do not forget and, once the Mongolians were expelled, they not only reinforced the different walls, but they connected them. Although the Great Wall is now continuous, there are sections constructed differently. Some are made of stone, others made of earth. Some are located in the desert, others follow steep mountains up and down.

Beijing is not in danger of being invaded anymore. However, just in case, China has modernised its military forces and every now and then holds a grand military parade on the avenue between the former Imperial City and Tiananmen Square. The Chinese armed forces may still use Sun Tzu teachings, like the high level of discipline of its troops, but they also study the Western tactics and have developed Western equipment. Interestingly, in the last military parade, despite the fact that it had shown great military power, they also pledged for peace in the world.

Actually, the Chinese government believes, and it is working on it, that only peace can bring economic prosperity and economic prosperity is what makes the government pay for their military power as well as assure the improvement of the population’s living conditions. Since China has adopted Western trade models, the economic development has been astonishing. Scientific development has also been astonishing. However, unlike Western societies, scientific development aims to support economic development. The Chinese government invests in what will be more profitable and, when it does, the breakthroughs happen at breakneck speed. For example, the investment in green and sustainable technology is deeply changing the country in a very short period of time. Furthermore, technology is being adopted by the entire population: it is not possible anymore to pay in cash or debit/credit card, only through an app installed on the mobile phone (which means, everyone has at least one mobile phone). The only people paying in cash are tourists in designated tourist shops.

Nevertheless, international economic development is dependent on international reputation and nothing shows how efficient and respecting other cultures a country is as organising big events like the Olympic Games. So, Beijing set itself to organise not one, but two Olympic Games: Summer Olympics in 2008 and Winter Olympics in 2022. They did not merely organise a flawless event, they planned jaw-dropping ceremonies and built iconic facilities. The Bird Nest (the National Stadium) and the Water Cube (the National Aquatics Centre) have become landmarks.

Has Beijing lost their cultural identity? Well, no. They are still following the same principles and Confucian teachings from thousands of years ago, but with new clothing.

 
Learn more:

 

This article is part of the FOREIGN LANDS series

Foreign Lands aims to discuss the difference between languages and cultural backgrounds.

 

 

The Silk Road great adventure: past and present

Photo by UNESCO
When Nicole Anna got married, she probably thought she would have a family life beside her husband. Maybe things went wrong with the marriage, maybe her husband did not love her enough, or maybe he just loved adventure too much. We do not know. The fact is that, as soon as she got pregnant, Niccolò left her and their unborn child and departed (ran away?) to Constantinople with his brother and business partner Maffeo. When the child was born in 1254, they were already establishing themselves in the new city, where they stayed for three years.

At that time, Venice was an independent republic and an international trade hub, intermediating commercial exchanges between the East and the West. Most (or maybe all) of its population was living from international trade, directly or indirectly. Nicole Anna had married a wealthy merchant from Venice and moved to his palazzo, where she ended up living alone, taking care of their child. If she hoped Niccolò would come home after setting up his trading post in Constantinople, she would be disappointed.

At some point, the situation in Constantinople went badly, but Niccolò and Maffeo did not return to Venice. They closed their business there and moved further and further East, exploring precious routes in the pursuit of many riches and new endeavours. By the time Niccolò finally came home, his wife had died and his son was already a teenager, with a good education that had been provided by his uncle and aunt. For some reason, Niccolò decided to depart again, but this time he took his son Marco with him. During the next twenty years, they travelled extensively all the way to China, India, and Indonesia. Besides setting up trading posts and doing business, they ran away from wars and served as diplomats to kings.

The return to Venice was not pacific. A war was being waged and Marco ended up in prison. There, he met Rustichello to whom he told his adventures in far away and exotic lands. Rustichello decided to write them down and the first and probably most famous book about the Silk Road was published. It was a bestseller at the time and made Marco Polo world and timelessly famous.

The Silk Road was, in reality, a network of different routes by land and by sea (these also known as spice routes) used by travelling merchants. The name was coined only in the 19th century and it referred to the most precious merchandise traded. However, many other goods were exchanged, some coming from the West and others coming from the East. For centuries, these trading paths were privileged ways not only to exchange merchandise, but also to exchange knowledge: linguistic, scientific, cultural, artistic, and even religious. Cities along these roads were full of life… and money. Beautiful and magnificent buildings were constructed, many of them are still standing, marking and remembering a golden period in time.

With so much happening in the East, it is no wonder that the Polo family was fascinated and drawn to this adventurous and diversified world. In comparison, life in Venice was quite monotonous, despite this city being at the time a very much cosmopolitan city. Rustichello’s book, nowadays named as “Marco Polo – The Travels”, reflects the image Europeans had about the East: strange, but seductive, full of exotic animals, of people with bizarre habits and beliefs, of rulers always at war with their neighbours. Yet, it also shows us respect for other cultures.

After 1,500 years, the Silk Routes were closed in 1453 by the Ottoman Empire. Europeans immediately started to look for another way to continue the trade with the East. Hence, the Age of Discovery and the many maritime routes to India, China, and Japan. In the meantime, they also found the Americas and a whole “new” world of opportunities was opened. This led to colonialism and the division of the world between the “developed” countries and the “poor” countries (the now ex-colonies).

Yet, the Silk Road is still a reference, especially due to its multiculturalism. The trade was made between merchants of different countries and different cultures with the only aim of getting the best deal possible. They did not have any political intentions or desire to dominate other folks. They did not have any power either. In fact, the routes were built by the travelling merchants, according to the conditions they would find.

Inspired by this, the government of China decided to revive the old network in a modern way 560 years later. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims to reconstruct some of the old routes by land (through Central Asia to Europe) and by sea (towards India and Africa) and build new ones, for example to Chancay, in Peru (America). The investment in infrastructures, namely ports and train lines/stations, in different countries is part of this strategy. Like in the Roman Empire, where all roads would lead to Rome, these connections aim to be linked to one major hub: China.

Contrary to the original Silk Routes, these paths are designed by a single country with national strategic plans in sight. Besides trade, China is looking to gain other advantages. Security is one of them, building military bases alongside the civil infrastructures. For example, the Djibouti port, strategically located at one end of the Suez Canal, serves both goals. Extending diplomatic relations is another objective. As China is willing to pay for the bills, it expects countries to be loyal to them. However, it is not just about infrastructures. China also provides other services, like healthcare. For instance, the Chinese Navy has a hospital ship (called “Silk Road Ark”) that travels through the BRI routes providing healthcare services for free. China gives back as much as it takes, in a win-win mentality.

When Marco Polo returned to Venice after twenty years, he had turned into a man of almost forty years-old. Contrary to his father, he got married and stayed in his hometown, becoming a wealthy merchant and raising three kids. If he lived nowadays, he probably wouldn’t leave his country for so long. There are airplanes and online conference services that make travel and communication much easier. He probably wouldn’t be an individual merchant, would probably have a company and sign contracts with other Chinese companies… and companies from other parts of the world. And he probably wouldn’t live in Venice, but maybe in Rotterdam. The way to do business and connect with other countries would be different, but the respect to multiculturalism would remain the same.

 
For more information:

 


 

In January this year, the island Santorini in Greece was shaken for a month by multiple earthquakes. Panic took over, especially because no one knew what was going on. Finally, scientists came up with the explanation.

 
Check the website daily to read the highlight of the day.