In 1295, Marco Polo returned to Venice; between 1298–1299, he was imprisoned with Rustichello da Pisa (鲁斯蒂谦) in Genoa (热那亚). Pisa recorded the stories that Marco Polo told him about his experiences in the Court of Kublai Khan and published it as The Travels of Marco Polo (马可波罗游记).

Kublai Khan always observed and honoured the major Christian festivals, including Easter (复活节) and the Nativity (耶诞节) — the basis of Christmas — in Khanbaliq (汗八里, Beijing). Moreover, “Kublai Khan observed the same at the festivals of the Saracens (撒拉逊人), Jews (犹太人) and idolaters (偶像崇拜者).”

When asked about the reason for doing so, he responded as follows, "there are four great Prophets who are reverenced and worshipped by different classes of mankind; the Christians regard Jesus Christ (耶稣) as their divine (神); the Saracens (撒拉逊人), Mahomet (谟罕默特); the Jews (犹太人), Moses (摩西); and the idolaters (偶像崇拜者), Sagamoni Buddha (释迦牟尼佛) who was the first god of the idols; and I do honour and reverence to all four.”

Marco Polo noted that there were many Jews in Beijing. They likely formed their own social circles and established their own distinct way of life. They worshipped their own God and celebrated their own festivals while commanding the respect of Kublai Khan and the ruling dignitaries.

Moreover, the group was prohibited to slaughter animals by cutting their throats; instead, they were supposed to cut them in the belly, as was common practice amongst the Tartars.