Chapter 45 Section 11 The Postal Stations of the Yuan Dynasty Described by Marco Polo

The postal stations in the Yuan Dynasty were more developed than those of previous dynasties.According to the statistics of "Yuan History Geographical Chronicles", post stations were spread all over the east, west, north, south, and south at that time.The post road is bustling with people coming and going. In the middle of the 13th century, during the reign of Kublai Khan, the founding monarch of the Yuan Dynasty, the Italian traveler Marco Polo gave a vivid description of the prosperity of the post at that time.He believes that the post station system of the Yuan Dynasty is "difficult to describe in words" and "a very wonderful and strange system".

In his "Travel Notes", Marco Polo wrote in a very envious tone: "From Hanbali City, there are roads leading to all provinces. Every road, that is to say, every major road, according to the city Every 40 or 50 kilometers, there are post stations and hotels to accommodate business travellers. These are called post stations or post offices. These buildings are magnificent, with gorgeously furnished rooms, hanging The curtains and door curtains of silk and satin are provided for the use of dignitaries. Even if princes stay in such posts, it will not be disgraceful. Because everything needed can be obtained from nearby towns and fortresses, and the court also has regular orders for certain posts. supply."

Marco Polo said that each post station in the Yuan Dynasty always had 400 horses for the messengers of the Great Khan.Postmen delivered emergency documents and could travel 320 kilometers a day, or 640 li.They all wore a brand with a falcon painted on them as a sign of galloping, "They tightened their clothes, wrapped their turbans, and swung their whips to drive their horses forward at the fastest speed."Marco Polo estimated that there were about 200,000 horses in national service. The above situation is basically in line with the situation of post offices in Yuan Dynasty.It's just that the number of horses and the number of schedules are inaccurate.Marco Polo exaggerated the numbers.In fact, there were more than 40,000 horses in post stations across the country at that time, and the fastest post station had a schedule of 500 miles, not more than 600 miles.It should be pointed out that the post station system of the Yuan Dynasty was also implemented in areas under the jurisdiction of some Mongolian rulers in Central Asia.According to the "Historical Collection" of the Persian historian Rasht, during the reign of Ili Khan, a post station was also set up in Central Asia.He "ordered that on all main roads, a post station should be set up every three journeys. Each post station should have fifteen horses." Each post station is handed over to a great commander, so that they can control a certain area and enough money for use.”As for the transmission of those official documents, Rasht recorded: "If the matter is extremely urgent, write a letter, seal it, and send it through the postman at the post station... Indicate on the letter from somewhere to somewhere, and the monarch gives each The side will be sealed in black so that they can put it on those letters." From Rashid's records, it can be seen that the post station system of the Yuan Dynasty has been effectively implemented in foreign jurisdictions.This system greatly communicated the economic and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries in the 13th and 14th centuries.