Tribute and Trade

An Overview of Economic Relations between China and Southeast Asia During the Song and Ming Dynasties

Abstract

China and Southeast Asia have a long, shared history of commerce between them, one that began to flourish during the Song Dynasty. In Chinese history, however, commerce is inseparable from tribute. Southeast Asian polities exploited flaws in the tributary system to prosper at China's expense. The Ming and Song tributary systems are each examined in turn, followed by explorations of global trade's beginnings in Chinese and Southeast Asian commercial relations and the problematic nature of Chinese exports to Southeast Asia during the Song and Ming. From there, the Southeast Asian attitude towards Chinese tribute and trade is analyzed, first generally and then regionally, looking especially at Song and Ming imports from Southeast Asia. The two megaregions had major economic influence on one another from 960 to 1550 C.E. The tributary system fostered Song and Ming feelings of superiority over Southeast Asia, while Southeast Asian societies viewed the system primarily as a means of trade, sustaining their mandala-based societies and fueling their temple construction.