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mutual admiration
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Marco Polo describes the good impression which he makes upon Kublai Khan, on first being presented to the emperor:
'The great Kaan, when he sees Marco who was a young bachelor of very great and noble aspect, he asks who he is. Sir, says his father Master Niccolo, he is my son and your man, whom as the dearest thing I had in this world I have brought with great peril and ado from such distant lands to present him to thee for thy slave. May he be welcome, says the great Khan, and it pleases me much; and he held him in great favour and made them write him among other honoured members of his household, for which reason he was held of great account and value by all those at the court.'
Elsewhere in his book Marco records his own impression of Kublai Khan:
'He is of good and fair size, neither too small nor too large, but is of middle size. He is covered with flesh in a beautiful manner, not too fat, nor too lean; he is more than well formed in all parts. He has his face white and partly shining red like the colour of a beautiful rose, which makes him appear very pleasing; and he has the eyes black and beautiful; and the nose very beautiful, well made and well set on the face.'
Quoted Bamber Gascoigne The Treasures and Dynasties of China, Cape 1973, page 161
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