An exhibition of photos by the National Geographic
magazine of the United States over the past 100 years, will debut
at Beijing's Millennium Monument on November 11, to retrace Marco
Polo's journey to China 700 years ago.
The two-month exhibition, marking the 850th anniversary of
Beijing city's founding, is co-sponsored by the Beijing Cultural
Development Fund, Millennium Monument Development Fund, the United
States-based National Geographic Society, and the National
Geographic magazine.
The organizers said in Beijing Wednesday the contracted
photographer, Michael Yamashita, spent three years traveling across
10 countries to China in the footsteps of the Venetian explorer,
taking thousands of photos en route.
The exhibition, covering a wide range of subjects like natural
spectacles, wildlife, customs and civilization, will feature human
existence in different cultures.
In 1271, a 17-year-old Marco Polo came to China via the ancient
Silk Road, and many years later wrote his travelogue, known as the
first book about China by a Westerner.
(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2003)