Marco Polo and Chinese Dragons - Russ McGlenn

In 1271 Marco Polo made his famous trip to China. A distance of 2000 miles by the silk route road. He came through the Chinese province of Karajan. While staying there he observed and described in detail a creature over 50 feet long. Polo explored and described China for 24 years. He wrote much of this in journals that were made into a book (The Travels of Marco Polo) when he returned to Europe. Considered to be a scholar and astute historian of the Chinese culture, why do some scientists who read his account of the 50 foot monster think he made it up or exaggerated? We will look at this creature as well as other animals described in Chinese literature. Stories of Chinese dragons date back to the Ming Dynasty about 2000 BC, the time of Abraham.