Tribute: Encyclopedia II - Tribute - Chinese practice of tributes as trade regulation

Tribute - Chinese practice of tributes as trade regulation

In China the tribute system began from the earliest days to provide both an administrative means to control vassals, as well as a means for which to provide exclusive trading rights to those who paid tribute from foreign regions. The process of tribute from a foreign nation to China allowed reciprocal trade under both imperial protection and imperial regulation, and barred entry into this trade by those who did not participate. It was an integral part of the Confucian philosophy and was seen as equivalent to the familial relation of younger sons looking after older parents by devoting part of their wealth, assets, or goods to that purpose. Political marriages also existed between the Chinese empire and tribute states, such as Songtsen Gampo and Wencheng (Gyasa). China often got tribute from the states under the influence of Confucian civilization and gave them Chinese products and recognition of their authority and sovereignty in return. Sometimes Chinese support were significant in local politics.

Chinese dynasties also paid tribute to other states for aid or peace. In the Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty and Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the emperors paid tribute to get aid from Gokturks, Xiongnu and the Khitan Liao Dynasty to conquer All under heaven. In the Song dynasty, tribute was given to the Jurchen Jin Dynasty for peace. The Qing dynasty signed many treaties including tribute conditions after many wars, such as the Opium Wars, and the First Sino-Japanese War.

In addition, the Zheng He expeditions also carried goods to build tribute relationships between the Ming dynasty and newly discovered kingdoms.

Tribute activities occupy several chapters in the Twenty-Four Histories.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Chinese practice of tributes as trade regulation", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki