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MUZTAGH-ATA MOUNTAINS Winter 1273

My father…

My father…

This will do you good.

Who are you? - I am a novice.

One day I'll be a lama,

a monk, consecrated in the doctrines of Buddha.

Like you, I come from very far away.

How did I get here?

My brothers found you half-buried by snow.

The flame of your life was barely burning,

but your karma had not yet been finished.

My…

karma? - Your destiny.

Your life's journey to the One has barely begun.

Where are the others? Where is my father?

You've done nothing but call for him these last days.

I must find him, you understand? - He is safe.

So are your other companions.

They risked death looking for you in the blizzard.

Our brothers from Liuchu led them to safety.

Are you sure?

How do you know that?

Do you hear these bells?

We use them to communicate from monastery to monastery.

We are never isolated.

It is a prayer that we say every morning.

So that all animals,

insects that may die under our feet during the day,

may be reborn to a higher life.

I'm beginning to remember now.

I remember your voice,

the bells…

I thank you for everything you've done for me.

It is not us, but Buddha you must thank.

How can I do that?

When the Buddha first came to our land,

he defeated the demons of superstition and made them his servants:

the Guardians of Tibet.

Now, whenever through his power sin or disease is defeated,

we say, "God is victorious."

Ula lo-ho.

This scarf of happiness

is the sign of our joy in having you among us.

It is called "kathak".

By preserving it, keep God's blessing upon you.

What are they doing? - Turning the wheels.

We set in motion the doctrine of Buddha:

Life is without end,

a wheel in which everyone lives and dies to be reborn.

Each time, we lose a little of our imperfection,

until we finally reach Nirvana.

Nirvana? - The peace of union with God.

To attain it, you must put aside the things of the world,

because they do not last.

Nothing is true: passions,

envy, ambitions.

They are only illusions.

Your comrades are coming to join you.

Marco.

Father…

We thought we had lost you, boy.

What is that dress?

Jacopo! - Marco…

More trials awaits you, my brother.

The ocean of the Steppe will open before you

the Empire of the Wind, ruled by the nomadic Mongols.

We will pray for you,

that Buddha, the eternal wayfarer, may accompany you.

And remember his teaching:

You must think thus of this fleeting world:

A star in the dawn, a bubble of water in the river,

a flash in the summer cloud,

a wavering lamp, a ghost, a dream.

Is the Gobi Desert all like this?

What is it? - A trail sign.

The next well…

is west of here.

GANSU (NORTH OF CHINA) Spring 1275

My name is Polo, Sir. This is my son and my brother.

We are merchants traveling from Europe. - Welcome.

I am Bektor Khan.

Be careful: it's kumis. It's strong.

What is it made of? - It is fermented mare's milk.

Mother of God! Where is the good wine of Venice?

We are honored and grateful, Bektor Khan.

Please accept this small token of our gratitude.

Very nice.

You honor my poor hospitality.

Too precious a gift, Polo. I thank you.

Thank you. Where are you headed?

To Shang-Du, the summer residence of the great Khan Kublai.

It is very far away.

No more than we've already traveled as his ambassadors.

I am thrice honored.

When you leave, I'll give you an escort to Shang-Du,

but until then, please be my guests.

You will meet the great Caidu,

Khan of all the nomadic tribes.

Soon he'll come here to us.

Who are they? His daughters?

Bektor's youngest wives.

They like you.

Your hair is beautiful.

Beautiful. Do you understand?

You see that one?

He is a young man in love.

He must be seated

on a saddle before the yurt of his beloved.

If she accepts, he shall enter.

We love to sing a lot. Do you like it?

How old are you?

21. - And how many wives do you have?

None, I'm not married. - I, at your age,

already had 5 wives and 10 children.

In our country, we have different customs.

Here we want every mare that comes into the world to have her rider.

Kasar! Kasar!

This is my son Kasar,

our fighting champion.

Two horses for the winner!

Begin!

Kasar! Kasar!

Kasar! Kasar!

Well done, my son! Well done, my son!

Kasar! Kasar!

My lord, you said you are waiting for Caidu Khan. When will he come?

Soon, very soon.

He comes to choose new horses.

Marco! Marco!

The match is over!

You were good. Where did you learn to fight like that?

In the alleys of Venice.

To finish, we thank the spirits of heaven.

That's Caidu,

the grandson of Kublai Khan. He came to pick his horses.

This one here is certainly… - Young foreigner,

you have an eye for horses, eh?

I learned something about them, but not much.

You seem to like this one better.

Tell me why.

In your opinion, is this horse the most beautiful?

Comparing him to others is like comparing the sun to a candle.

He is not only handsome but with this chest, these strong legs,

he'll be as fast as the wind

and capable of galloping all day long without tiring.

You have keen eyes. - You are a man who learns quickly.

These horses are descended from the stallion

of the great Genghis Khan.

It is the powerful symbol of us Mongols.

Now that you have seen our ways

and our customs, what do you think of us?

You think our laws are barbaric, right?

They are harsh, Caidu Khan.

But probably fair for your people.

Good.

You are not afraid, eh? Like a real Mongolian.

Yes, we are savages, nomads!

We live wherever there are pastures for our horses.

We are wild and free.

If they were to impose borders on us, we would die.

That is something the great Kublai seems to have forgotten.

He wants to cage us in his laws.

Tell the great Kublai,

Caidu will never accept his orders. Never.

Our roots are in the wind, not within the walls of cities.

Remind him of that.

We have conquered the world on horseback

and on horseback we must reign!

Yes, I too have thought often that Marco was given to flights of fancy.

GENOA PRISON Spring 1299

I assure you, Fra Damiano, I have struggled

to keep it within the limits of plausibility.

Yet, I confess I was tempted

to report some of the things he told me

about the curious customs of the people of the Kamul region.

"Where there are many cities and castles.

The men there love pleasant amusements:

They sing and dance and play all kinds of complicated instruments."

Of course, music leads to the evolution of feelings.

"And if guests arrive for a visit,

they order their wives to attend to their needs.

Husbands leave their homes for 2 or 3 days,

and the women are sociable, beautiful…

and yielding."

Tell them about that place where the women wear 20 pairs of pants

because the men like to see them fat.

I wonder whether,

I should keep this part…

No, it's not very moral.

It's not these trivialities that worry us.

We are here to examine more important matters.

Continue.

"When one leaves this region and rides for 3 days,

one finds a city called Shang-Du,

built by order of the great Kublai.

The Khan likes to spend the hot season on the green shores of a lake.

Know that the great Kublai

decreed that a dwelling for him should be built on the shore of a lake.

And it shall be made with reeds,

and every reed more than 3 palms wide.

And under its dome,

everything is decorated with gold."

SHANG-DU Summer 1275

What are they doing? - Who?

Them. What are they doing? - They're heating the water.

Chen Pao? Let me see.

With this? But it's a rock…

It's a special kind of stone they call coal.

Yes.

I think they extract it from the hills.

They'll never believe it in Venice. Stones that burn!

They'll believe it.

Don't these people ever talk?

They are the servants that your father likes: dumb.

They may only speak when questioned.

Remember to do likewise before the Great Khan.

Jacopo! Marco, come.

We cannot tarry. We are expected at the audience.

Ula lo-ho.

Ula lo-ho.

What did you say to him?

It means "God is victorious".

I learned it from the lamas of Pamir.

Who is that monk?

His name is Phags Pa. He is the head of the archives.

He's the only one who did not hope for our return.

Stay behind us.

Don't step on the threshold.

Why? - It's bad luck.

You may rise.

A happy return after so many years.

I was afraid that sickness

or accidents of war had prevented you.

Both of these things delayed us, Great Khan,

and also disturbances in Persia.

Is that why you didn't bring the 100 wise, priests I asked for?

His Holiness the Pope had just been elected, Great Khan,

but with his full powers he'll send 10 times as many.

Meanwhile, Rome opens to you your arms and heart, great lord.

His Holiness sends you

this letter of fraternal greeting.

Fraternal? Then he considers himself my equal?

As the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Great Khan.

I believe his Church will never be universal

until it is received into my empire.

Great Khan, we've found rebellions and wars,

but we managed to save these gifts, which bring you tangible proof

of the Holy Father's admiration for you. Jacopo…

Strange…

Yours is the only religion that has transformed

an instrument of death…

into an object of beauty.

And in a symbol of strength.

We have… we've also saved

the rare gift you asked for, my lord.

As a sign of divine blessing, His Holiness has sent you the oil

of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Marco, stay down!

Is this the very oil of the lamp

that burns on the tomb of your Christ?

Yes, it is the one, my lord.

Your passports have been safe-conducts throughout your empire,

but if we've survived the perils of nature and your enemies,

perhaps we owe it to the power of that holy oil.

A rare gift, no doubt.

And it must be accepted with reverence.

I see that you've brought others of your race.

Yes, my lord, my servant Jacopo and my son Marco.

It was him who carried the holy oil from Jerusalem.

My son, great lord and your servant.

If he will serve me as well as his father and his uncle,

I shall be very happy.

How old is he? - 21!

I proclaim…

that the loyalty and fidelity in keeping your word to return,

is worthy of every honor.

The properties and treasures that you have left here

have been preserved for you.

Whatever they may be, from this moment, they are doubled.

You have still to translate to me the Pope's letter.

We have many things to discuss.

Meanwhile,

I will send the sacred oil to Empress Chabi for safekeeping.

You, young Marco,

since you have brought it so far, you can carry it for a few more steps.

Go with him.

Walk backwards!

Finally!

I waited, and prayed and hoped for so long.

Was it really you who brought it? - Yes, my lady.

From the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

And it really has the power to heal, to work miracles?

In many cases yes, but only for those who believe in its power.

For those who have faith. - Like I wish I had.

I heard about your Lord Jesus Christ from my nephew Nayan.

He told me about this holy oil of Jerusalem

and also of your Holy Father, the Pope.

Come.

I had this made for its safekeeping.

But I was already starting to fear,

that it would remain empty forever.

Have you spoken to the Pope in person?

He sends his blessing to the Great Khan and all his family.

You must tell me all about this and also about Rome.

If you only knew how many times I dreamed of Rome,

its palaces, its golden churches…

No, here. Next to me.

Nayan has heard many tales about the holy city

and would give anything to go there.

Is it as wonderful as Nayan says it is?

Like you, great lady, I have only dreamed of it.

I longed so much to see it.

Everything I know about Rome,

I heard from pilgrims in Venice or Palestine.

Really?

They say Rome is one immense cathedral,

a forest of churches, filled with towers and belfries.

A crown of walls surrounds it.

Its most precious jewel is the Pope's palace:

A 1000 rooms filled with mirrors made of copper…

that reflect the light and make the night into a sunny day.

There is a river that shines like gold and flows through the city.

And in a sacred place,

where one can see the footprints of Jesus when he appeared to Peter,

when Peter was leaving Rome for fear of being killed.

There are many stories you must tell me.

I want to know everything.

Every day in Rome, pilgrims are shown a piece of the cross on which Jesus died,

while thousands of voices resound together.

Then Nayan is right: It is as if the sky

is mirrored in that place, unique to this world.

Nothing in China can compare, I'm sure of that.

But China is so different.

It is difficult to compare two wonders.

If you love a girl, the custom is… - To sit in front of her yurt,

until she decides to let you in.

And in your country what do you do?

You try to get to know the brother, or maybe the sister.

I'm sorry, I don't have any sisters among these girls.

But I know a few brothers.

Those three beauties are related to the Great Khan,

which means they are all part of the family.

He has more than one wife, surely, you know.

It is not prudent to look so high.

I guess we'll have to be contented to look.

What's your name? - Chinkin.

I am… - Marco,

the son of the noble Niccolò and the nephew of Matteo Polo.

Who is he? - The Great Khan's eldest son.

The heir to the throne.

The prince invites you to sit with him.

Who is he? - An exceptional man.

His name is Lu Tse Yu, head of the imperial printers.

And what exactly does he do?

I know that in your countries, copies of books are handwritten.

The Yan, the people of this part of China,

have invented a machine that reproduces books in 1000s of copies.

Here's one, look.

This is what we call an almanac.

It is a collection of the predictions of the imperial astrologers,

for each day of the year.

It is published before the end of summer.

No Chinese would do without it.

It is the guide to a better life

and also a defense against misfortune.

All our books, all that is written, comes from the ancestors.

We, Mongols do not have what you call an alphabet.

We learn our history,

our tales, our poems, from our songs,

in that way, we transmit them from generation to generation.

Your country is fortunate:

It is possible for everyone to learn to read.

Here there is so much…

serenity, beauty,

a perfect harmony.

And yet, if you listen carefully,

you can hear afar off the rumble of war,

which wounds this harmony. - What war?

China is currently divided in two:

the north and all these regions

are part of the Great Khan's empire,

The south is under the rule

of Emperor Du Zong of the Sung dynasty.

Right now, as we are celebrating,

the armies of the Great Khan

are advancing rapidly in the southern regions

to attack the last Sung fortresses.

Much fraternal blood will be shed.

We offer this cup…

to Natigai, our god.

To peace.

To peace.

Come, Marco.

I know where to find a saddle,

a girl and a comfortable yurt.

I am glad that you have shown no fear.

I saw a monk at the monastery perform an extraordinary prodigy,

so I was not surprised by what the shaman did.

Not even when the cobra hissed toward you?

I still wonder how he can make one see and hear what's not there.

You are here but your mind is still traveling. To where?

I beg your pardon, great lord,

but…

that thing there, what is it?

It is an instrument to indicate the hours.

It measures the passage of time.

It is a marvel.

Then you don't depend on the sun anymore here?

Do you always get so easily distracted?

No, my lord. I was intrigued.

Everything new always fascinates me. - Good.

Where was that monastery? Show me.

Here, my lord.

And this is the road that…

No, this is wrong.

The road is badly marked. - Are you sure?

We tried it but fallen rocks blocked the pass.

We had to use this valley, heading north.

Neither your father nor your uncle remembered it.

It seems that the Empress Chabi is right:

She says that you remember territories traveled

better than any traveler she has ever met.

I remember what has aroused my interest.

Are you not comfortable?

I'm not used to being on my knees.

I've noticed it.

You may sit or stand, as you prefer,

but only when we are alone.

Thank you, my lord.

Now tell me, what has interested you most?

Many things.

The different beliefs, habits,

the way of living…

Almost everything. - For example?

What…

the people cultivate,

helping the sick and the elderly,

how they educate their children,

the trade,

cotton in Cashgar, pearls in Baghdad and other things.

Whether they extract from the earth metal, stones precious

or something mysterious like asbestos.

Asbestos?

It… is a kind of cloth that resists fire.

Many people think it is made with salamander's skin but that's not true.

It is a mineral from which threads are woven.

I saw it in the mountains of Tian Shan. - Continue.

Things like…

the wild sheep of the mountains of Pamir,

with horns more than 20 inches long.

And the yak, the bull of the forest,

whose tail by you is much appreciated.

And then the motifs that make up the tales, the legends,

what makes a people strong or weak, determined or uncertain.

And you can remember all that?

I made some notes to help me.

For example, the main products of a region,

how many days it takes to cross it

or the distance between one city and another. And then…

there are also… - Yes? Also?

Every…

place, every city sends signals to our eyes.

Signals?

The way in which paths and roads are marked out,

the alignment of trees, the tracks of furrows in the fields.

This shows whether people like order

and take pride in their work.

Yes, of course.

In my city, Venice, my mother often said to me,

"What people lay out in the sun to dry,

tells the story of families.

Look, at that mending:

the care with which it is made shows the desire to preserve things.

Dignity, even if one is poor.

Those clothes are the flags of the house."

Did you hear that, Chinkin?

These are precisely the signals the eyes and ears receive,

if they are guided by an attentive mind.

Yes! This is the information that a ruler needs…

to understand the true soul of his subjects,

the life they make within the walls of their homes,

their skill in cultivating the land,

so that if hunger strikes a region,

it is already noted…

where you can find abundance of food.

What we need is more precise news which we must study.

We need to know more about the people and the country.

Caidu Khan says that…

Caidu?

What does he say?

That… it is important for a ruler to never stop traveling.

What else did my nephew say?

I would not like to speak out of turn, my lord.

Continue.

Caidu says…

that a true Mongol must never abandon his horse.

Only in this way, is he invincible.

Forgive me, Sir.

Forgive me, I didn't mean to offend you.

He spoke in good faith, Father. - I know.

Have no fear.

Too many people rush to declare themselves in agreement with me.

To find someone who speaks frankly is a relief.

I admire Caidu.

He is a real Mongolian.

But he can't understand.

I'll tell you something that you both should always keep in mind.

You, Chinkin, because one day you will succeed me.

You, Marco, because maybe you'll come under our service.

It is this:

The world can be conquered on horseback,

but it cannot be ruled on horseback!

And now, young Marco,

while your memory is still fresh,

I want you to introduce yourself to the learned Phags Pa

and communicate to him all the information you have.

Yes, my lord.

Our Chinese cartographers are excellent,

but some of their maps are outdated.

Suggest changes that you think are necessary.

You will have my gratitude.

Repaying even in part your favor

is sufficient reward for us, my lord.

He is not only a favorite of the empress,

but he has also gained the friendship of Chinkin and the Khan.

To the empress, he looks like an envoy of her new god.

I wish the Polos had brought the priests the Khan asked for.

Why?

I would've defeated and humiliated them

with the power of our faith.

Instead,

they brought us this young man

and his superstitions.

Favorites have the charm of novelty,

which soon wears off.

END OF EPISODE 4