Abstract: In the fifteenth century, the rise of Dongbuhanhu presented a significant political and military challenge for Ming China along its Sichuan-Tibetan frontier. The tributary system played a pivotal role in Dongbuhanhu's development, functioning in different ways at various stages of the polity's rise. From the 1410s to 1430s, Dongbuhanhu employed the tributary system to gain recognition from the Ming, thus consolidating its secular and religious authority. In the 1440s, control over tributary routes became a central element in the power struggle between Dongbuhanhu and Zagu, transforming the system into a strategic tool for geopolitical competition. During the 1450s, the tributary system not only facilitated Dongbuhanhu's accumulation of material wealth but also provided the polity a political framework to establish a hierarchical order in frontier regions. By examining the practical implications of the tributary system in the frontier region, this article traces specific ways through which frontier societies took advantage of imperial policies to negotiate with state authorities for their own interests.
Xiaobai Hu (Mon,) studied this question.