A visitor looks at an oil painting at the exhibition A Journey of Knowledge: The Travels of Marco Polo and Its Legacy Between East and West in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on May 8. QI XIAO/CHINA DAILY

Exhibition dedicated to famous traveler's voyages traces the enduring influence of East on West, Chen Ye reports in Hangzhou.

When the famous Venetian explorer Marco Polo visited Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in the late 13th century, well-traveled as he was, it is said that he was still filled with amazement and overwhelmed by what he saw.

In his seminal account of his journey, The Travels of Marco Polo, he called Hangzhou the "city of heaven", describing it as "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world".