The Spring Festival was something that the five elements had never really seen before and there was some curiosity about it, particularly on Huoxing's part, as spring was something that was essentially universal, and so far the people of Animalia and Lyre both seemed pretty friendly. The result was Huoxing leading Ping, Tuxing, Jinxing, Shuixing, and Muxing around the various booths on the inside of the Claw Coliseum, since it was the only place that would be big enough to hold the booths while they waited for other things to dry out. There were some reports of more cold weather out there as well, which made having the Spring Fair inside might be best for until things could reliably stay warm and dry.
"This is all so interesting," Huoxing said to her sisters as they passed a booth that was actually displaying Medieval farming practices with a few pieces of equipment and with some charts, graphs, and pictures, "And all of this..."
"All of thisssssssss, wassssssssssssssssssss at the tail end of the Ssssssssssssssssssssong Dynasssssssssssssssssssty which wassssssssssssssssss far more advanccccccccccccccccccced than the Europeansssssssssssssssss they honor," Muxing grumbled, her voice coming out a bit hissing as she wasn't quite used to literally having a forked tongue yet. She had some lessons but she privately admitted she needed more practice.
"And would go into the Ming Dynasty," Ping spoke down to her, "When scientific and technological advancement wasn't as great and Europe DID catch up... and by the Opium Wars in the 1800s, it is clear that Europe surpassed China..."
"By that point," Muxing answered, "It ssssssssssssstill took them hundredsssssssssssssss of yearsssssssssssssssssss to learn thesssssssssssssse thingsssssssssssssssssss and do they say "thank you China for your hard work and disssssssssscoveriesssssss?" NO! They don't!"
"Because much of the systems of crop rotation and developments in relation to farming for Medieval Europe was NOT directly influenced by China," the man who'd been running the booth came forward, "In fact, after the long distance contacts between the Roman Empire and Han China broke down, Western Europe lost all direct contact with China until Marco Polo in his return to Europe in nearly 1300. Eastern Europe with the Byzantine... or Eastern Roman Empire might have had more contacts with China in the way the Roman Empire did, but Western Europe simply didn't and in that largely had to learn on their own."
"You know of the Chinese Dynasties?" Tuxing asked.
"A bit," the man said scratching his neck a bit with a small grin, "not enough to be an expert, as I've researched more into farming practices... which will relate a lot to the Spring Fair as far as I know... but I know a few minor details. If you want to know more... there is a both that has some more information on Marco Polo's travels."
"That could be interesting," Tuxing nodded as while they'd been in the cult's hands they really hadn't had much in the way of access to any education.
Learning on the contacts between Europe and China could show on how the two very different cultures interacted. Muxing might be a little "hostile" to the idea that the fair was overwhelmingly centered around events from Medieval Europe and so on. Tuxing had noticed several Humans and Animalians dressed as knights, princesses, and so on. There were a few dressed in what looked like brown and green pained leathers, which was described to her as "Robin Hood," but there was no real presentation of any oriental nation among the people there. But then, Tuxing didn't think that China ever had anything close to what Europe considered the Middle Ages. Science and technology may not always advance as quickly as it sometimes did, but the closest thing to the sort of blow that shattered the Roman Empire wouldn't happen to China until 1800s to 1900s. Opium Wars, the Boxer Rebellion, the Chinese Civil War, and the war with Japan were what brought China down, and by the time that happened, the "Medieval Period" in European History was over and the world was shrinking. And after the war with Japan and the end to the Chinese Civil War, China would officially recover fairly well. In this, Tuxing did her best to stay composed and keep Muxing calm, and if that meant looking to something that would relate more to their home country, Tuxing figured something about Marco Polo would do. She just turned her head to ask the man manning the booth for directions when different voice called out.
"Hey, guys, they got a map!" Huoxing said excitedly standing near a large metal stand that held up a map of the arena and the booths for the Spring Fair.
However, the map was written in English and Huoxing only identified where they on the map based on the big red sticker. Ping thanked the man for his help and ushered the other elements over to where Huoxing was, looking quite pleased with her find. Ping scanned the map and found where the booth on Marco Polo was and found it. It was on the end of a different aisle to get to, which would take some walking. As they began their journey, Ping glanced to Muxing who was managing to slither along.
"You needn't be so suspicious of people here, Muxing," Ping commented, figuring that much of Chinese Tree Viper's hostility was more a consequence of what had happened to them, "You are safe and the people of Animalia and Lyre won't hurt you."
"I know," Muxing said simply, clinching her fists for a moment, "but... they could be anywhere..."
"Not where so many people have such good noses, hearing, and eyesight," Ping commented
"And besides," Huoxing smiled as she turned around to essentially backpedal and talk to her sister, "You look better when you smile."
"Not that there was much before Ping and Project Cameroon for us TOO smile about," Shuixing said slowly. She found herself liking being a Water Buffalo fairly well. She felt strong and confident, and a apparently attractive as she thought she'd heard a whistle go her way and looked back only to s a Lyre teenager dash around a corner, but with Huoxing still excited about everything and Muxing still frustrated about what had been done to them, and the fact that none of the elements knew much in the way of English and were relying on Ping for translating things for them, Shuixing figured wandering off to find out why someone had whistled at her would only lead to chaos.
"Which is why you have me, cute and adorable extraordinaire," Huoxing smiled.
The others couldn't help but smile at that. All of them had been hurt to a degree, and Horizon had scheduled some sessions with a Doctor Jones, a therapist in town... or on the boundary line between Animalia and Lyre, to deal with those issues. But Huoxing had always been cheerful, in spite of everything, and Shuixing was especially thankful for that. Shuixing figured all her sisters were thankful for that, but showed it in different ways. Tuxing was always calm, as she always was. Jinxing nodded with a warm smile. Jinxing liked Animalia, though there weren't many male Snow Leopard Animalians, those that she had bumped into were friendly and happy to introduce their mates and sometimes children which soon lead to hugs.
They didn't understand much Chinese and Jinxing didn't understand much English, but they got by enough to learn names and introduce themselves. That was something that Jinxing liked. Even if they were ultimately to live in the Chinese provided colony for Animalia, it would be nice to have friends in Animalia and Lyre, and there, Huoxing's outgoing and entertaining personality would be critical for all of them. Shuixing might have some lingering self confidence issues and Muxing might have a great deal of anger and resentment at the people that had held them prisoner, and to Jinxing, the one who could help them the most was Huoxing, but cheerful Red Panda had kept them very happy through their captivity and hadn't lost her cheerfulness.
"You are good at that," Shuixing smiled to Huoxing.
They then continued on their way until they came to the booth showing Marco Polo's exploits. This included a large map that showed where the city of Venice was and the rough outline of Yuan China in East Asia. Ping translated for the historian as he pointed to a red line that went across the map and pointed out various dates. The five elements were all greatly amazed to learn that outside of his famous travels, a lot of Marco Polo's early life was an unknown.
"So... the man who goes to China for the first time in centuries was just a..." Shuixing began and paused as she found herself looking for a word that would apply.
"A nobody?" the man manning the both finished, "that's the way MANY great historic figures have emerged... and to some degree, there is debate over whether or not Marco Polo actually DID make his journeys... as I think his route would have taken him near the Great Wall, which is never mentioned. And to some, that's a sign of his being a charlatan repeating stories of hearsay rather than actually seeing it. As most nearly every Westerner today that would go to China as a tourist would want to see the Great Wall. The closest thing to it was Hadrian's Wall between what is today Scotland and northern England... but over years of fortress and town building in other places, Hadrian's Wall was dismembered. The Great Wall of China remains..."
"Ssssssssssssssssso he didn't go?" Muxing asked.
"At present it's hard to say," the man said slowly, "He have in fact did go... and as for the Great Wall, you then have the question of WHICH wall? The Chinese didn't build the wall all during one dynasty and there is the very possibility that when Marco Polo traveled, the Great Wall wasn't in its present form and since the rulers of China that he met were the very people the wall was designed to keep out, it'd be unlikely that the Yuan would want to show Marco Polo what stopped them for years in the past. It will all depend on which side of the debate you fall on, though you'll still have the issue is that Marco Polo's account has proven far more accurate than many of his contemporaries and throwing it out on the charge of "never actually going to China" will create more problems than it wall solve... Or at least I attended a lecture that relayed that information to me..."
"But the wall we know today was built by the Ming Dynasty," Tuxing commented calmly and waited for Ping to translate.
"Which would then part of the point that Polo's defenders have used," the man nodded, "That the Yuan had managed to tear down the earlier walls and felt no need to show any that survived to Polo. Those ruins wouldn't be noteworthy... it's sort of a contextual thing that you'll see a lot in historical work... some have a particular set story, often to pass judgement on history, often with no consideration for the context in which those events occurred. It's only once you've gotten all your information and in the right context that any judgement can be made."
"Do you think he did go to China?" Jinxing asked.
"I've seen no true reason NOT to believe the story," the man smiled, "and enjoy the fair. Soon... I'm sure there will be flowers and leaves forming on the trees, and that's really what the fair is about."
"See, Muxing! It's about having fun!" Huoxing said to her serpentine sister, "and we are safe and everyone's been so nice."
With that Muxing did nod. While there were some language barriers, the people of Animalia and Lyre had been reasonably kind to them. But a part of her still dwelled on what had happened to them and she wanted to make sure she would be ready to protect herself or her sisters.