i.
As ruler of All Under Heaven (by the Mandate of Heaven)
ii. As apex of human civilization iii.
As custodian of cosmic order
b. Manifestation
& maintenance of hierarchical relationships/civilization
i.
Within and beyond China's core territory
ii. Marked the civilized from the barbaric
iii. The kowtow (k'o-t'ou,
"bump head")
c. 3 Zones
of external tributary relations:
i.
Sinic zone (Korea, Vietnam, Liu-ch'iu, [Japan])
ii. Inner Asia zone (Mongolia, Tibet, Central Asian realms)
iii. Outer zone (Russia, Portugal, Holland, England, etc.
d.
Types of Bilateral Trade within the Tribute System
i.
Gift trade (and "re-gifting")
ii. Market trade at frontier "ports of trade" (Canton, Kiakhta,
Macao, etc.)
iii. Administered trade (most important) at Peking and ports of trade
e. The
Nature of Tribute-Trade
i.
Ceremony & commerce deeply intertwined
ii. For Emperor:
• tribute was important as confirmation of position and affirmation
of civilization
iii. For tributaries:
• trade was important, along with political recognition
iv. Framework for relatively peaceful economic exchange
2.
The Indian Ocean Trade Circuits
a.
3 interlocking circuits centered on Indian Ocean
i.
Arabian Sea, dominated by Muslims
ii. Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal), conducted by Muslims from East Africa
and Hindus from South and Southeast Asia
iii. South China Sea, dominated by Chinese
b. East
African city-states and the Swahili
c.
Links to Southeast and East Asia: The Entrepôt
of Malacca