Rethinking the Traditional East Asian Regional Order: The Tribute System as a set of Principles, Norms, and Practices

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K03326
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: International relations
• Research Institution: The University of Kitakyushu
• Principal Investigator: Kim Bongjin 北九州市立大学, 外国語学部, 教授 (90254614)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 朝貢体制 / 下位体制 / 儒教的原理 / 事大交隣 / 公天下 / 礼・理 / 位階(hierarchy) / 主権(sovereignty)

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, a few scholars in the field of international relations (IR) have attempted to examine the tribute system - its multilateral frameworks and functions. By doing this, new theories of the tribute system are emerging, for critically reflecting on misunderstandings or biases to the traditional East Asian regional order. However, we may indicate their shortcomings,somewhat ignorant of Confucian principles, constitutive of the order. In order to make up for their shortcomings by rethinking the traditional East Asian regional order, I tried to make clear the tribute system as a set of principles, norms, and practices in part. In relation to this, I examined ideas of hierarchy and endemic sovereignty resided in the tribute system - typically different from those in the modern international order. It could be useful for inqiring into the deep-rooted problems of the modernistic understanding and explanation, and inventing new IR theories rooted in the East Asian traditions.

Free Research Field

東アジア国際関係、比較思想