Marco Polo, an Italian traveler, had stayed in China for 17 years in the 13th century. Marco Polo wrote his memoir of China in his book, The Travels of Marco Polo, which became the first book that introduced China to the Western world. The book instilled in many Europeans an interest in the Orient, and had a strong impact on the discovery of new travel routes in the world. Marco Polo also became a significant representative of early cultural exchanges between the East and West.