Which important features of China did Marco Polo fail to mention in his account?

Some scholars and critics have questioned the authenticity of Marco Polo’s travels to China because his account, Il milione, omits several prominent features of the region that one might expect a visitor to document.

Specifically, Polo failed to mention the following:

• The Great Wall of China1
• The use of tea1
• The ideographic script of the Far East1

Additionally, it is noted that contemporary Chinese records contain no trace of Polo, which has fueled further skepticism regarding his experiences. However, a more balanced perspective suggests that these omissions may be attributed to the nature of his text—which was not intended as a comprehensive biography—and the specific cultural and historical context of the medieval period. While some details in his account remain subject to debate, modern research generally recognizes that he reported what he observed and heard during his time in the service of the Mongol rulers.12