Einglish
On January 9, 1324, Marco Polo - the world-famous traveler and businessman, passed away in Venice, leaving behind himself his will written on parchment, upon which traces of repeated reading by later generations can be easily found. After the division of the estate was completed, this will, handed down from generation to generation along with other wills and archives of the Marco family, was never exposed to the world again. Until in 1828, a scholar (Emmanuele Antonio Cicogna) mentioned in his book that the Marco Polo’s Will had been donated to the Marciana National Library (Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana) in Venice by a collector, while no record about the donation was found in the archives of the Marciana National Library at that time. In 1865, the will was found in the library bound together with some other parchment manuscripts in a Latin manuscript file numbered 58-59. In 1866, the will was brought to Vienna by the Austrian military government, before it was returned to Venice two years later and kept in the Marciana National Library in Venice ever since then.
Marco Polo wrote in his will: “Also I release Peter the tartar, my servant, from all bondage, as completely as I pray God to release mine own soul from all sin and guilt. And I also remit him whatever he may have gained by work at his own house; and over and above I bequeath him 100 lire of Venice denari.” This shows that Marco Polo very probably had ever arrived in China in the Yuan Dynasty where Tartars inhabited and brought back a Tartar servant. The gold medals awarded by Kublai Khan to Polo brothers recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo were also mentioned in the will of Maffeo Polo (Uncle of Marco Polo) which was also stored in Venice. The words on these wills have become a strong proof of the authenticity of The Travels of Marco Polo.
On September 27, 2021, the Ceremony for the Donation of the Replica of Marco Polo’s Will was held simultaneously in China and Italy over the Internet. In Venice, Marco Polo’s hometown, Ms. Ying Hong and Mr. Ferdinando Santoro officially donated a replica of the will authorized by the Library to the World Tourism Alliance (WTA) and signed a donation agreement. This document, embodying the legendary life of a traveler, has come across the sea to Hangzhou, China, and will be kept in the headquarters of the WTA.
This special Replica of Marco Polo’s Will was jointly donated by Ms. Ying Hong Caterina and Mr. Ferdinando Santoro. What is special about it? Let’s listen to the introduction by the donors:
The donation ceremony review: https://www.wta-web.org/eng/news/news_029