Did Marco Polo Go to China?

This is a piece of historical detective work. It questions whether Marco Polo ever reached China, as he makes no mention of fundamental aspects of Chinese life, such as tea and foot-binding, in his travel journals. There is also no record of the Polo family in Chinese documents.

---

Marco Polo's book "The Description of the World" is one of the classics of medieval literature, describing his epic journey to China and subsequent return to Italy. He has become a cultural icon bridging East and West, his name known by adults and children alike. This is a piece of historical detective work, marking the 700th anniversary of Polo's journey, and questions whether the explorer ever reached the country he so vividly described. Why, within his romantic and detailed account, is there no mention of such fundamental aspects of Chinese life as tea or foot-binding, or even the Great Wall? Did Polo really bring noodles and ice-cream back to Italy? And why is there no record of the Polo family in China itself?