ABSTRACT
The list of vassal states consisted of Korea, Liu Kiu Islands, Burmah, Indo-China, Siam, Sumatra, etc. All these were conquered by China either by arms or otherwise. The regulations of tribute-payments, as to the amount of tribute, the number and rank of the bearers 1 and the roads
over which the bearers should travel in their Peking-ward journey were all definitely set out. Violation of these regulations sometimes led to the rejection of the tributes, a sign of disapproval by the Peking court, to be made good by additional tributes or humiliating apologies. The tributes were received by the Bureau of Outside Affairs in the Department of Rites. Negligence in the making of tribute payment implied insubordination and invited a military expedition from China to exact payment.
