Marco Polo had been warned by his father and his uncle on the etiquette of court in ancient Cathay, China to our modern mind. How well you expressed your kowtow, that is your bow to the emperor, said much about your wise use of subtle means to express deeper desires. Marco had many opportunities to practice his bows, and made good use of each new meeting with friend of foe, all would be rreceived by Marco with a generous bow, a very respectful deep bow, some times too deep for one of low station, but Marco erred on the side of wise prudence.



That is, a too effusive bow to a serving person was better than having offended a moody warlord. After coming up over the great hump of Asia from the Black Sea to the Gobi Desert, Marco had studied eye contact with many a trader and fellow traveller. He had faced them all off, and had tried to show by his ragged ways he was a beggar of no worth use to rob. The Polos walked mostly alongside their pack animals these many thousands of miles journey. With the Great Wall out of sight but never too far to their north, they arrived finally in Beijing just past the desert edges.

In great Beijing was the Forbidden City, the fabled home of the emperor and his court. Here was the great symbol of the people and name of China in elegant Tiammamen Square. Up to modern times any volice of dissent has been attempted here. As from back to the days of Confucious up to now, a deep kowtow to the might and weight of the emperor is wise. To stand your ground before a tank of the army of the emperor is to be ground down before the eyes of the world, in ensuring images that sear the mind and seal the fate of millions.

Marco Polo would have known that it was wiser to bow low and deep in a gesture of loyalty, Marco would have done more than, and soon than, what was expected of him. This simple logic applies within any system, and should be applied with grace and serene good will to all. Marco would entertain lightly, playfully, mock a stumble by himself to the giggle of the ladies in court. The perfect kowtow would sweepingly enjoin all the room in attendant to both join the bow to the emperor, but also receive in its way with the bow becoming rather like an athletic wave.

The wave seems to sweep al before it, and all seem to join their bodies ever so slightly in a mutual long low bow. The playful nature of Marco probably both graced and deceived Marco. More often Marco saw his fortune rise due to his witty ways that caused the emperor to smile than frown. Any frown Marco was quick to detect, and quicker to repair. For Marco was an apt student of people, and he could detect a smile from a frown and correct quickly. In contrast Marco was an innocent diversion at court and the tales of their Christian faith interested him greatly.

In a great act of kowtow Marco even carried a message to the Pope in Rome to send one thousand Christian monks or scholars to teach his people a religion to settle them down. Marco did complete this journey and the new Pope decided not to act. On his second trip to Cathay Marco found that the emperor had instead received one thousand scholar of Buddhism from India, so the Catholitc Christians were no longer welcome. However by 1250 Christianity had lost its golden opportunity to have broken into China as the state religion.

And because the emperor wanted a religion to make the people easier to managed. How you make use of your understanding of the rare intimite nature of Chinese antiques and how they came to be available. While the lead lined Neds push their buggys filled with lead melamine copies, watch them watch you as you check the net for web Mings and things. Imagine a decade from now, when some just now middle class, customer one day sooner richer, want grand mothers Mings and things.

That you own, price is nos so much more than what you did pay. Who could have even imagined? You could, you did, Marco - great buy, greater sell.