The Tribuytary Trade Between Gaoli And Song

The cultural circle centered on China was built in ancient East Asia. The diplomatic relationship among China and other states around it was of conferrer and tribute based on the Conferring and Tributary System. After Song Dynasty was built, Gaoli and Song continued with their relationship of zuzerain and vassal state in former dynasties. They came and went for each other. Influenced by Liao and followed Jin , the diplomatic relationship between Gaoli and Song was interrupted sometimes and continued another times. During the period from 1071 to 1126, their diplomatic intercourse was tributary trade. During this period, Gaoli was only the nominal vassal state and the subordinate political relation was weak. The main aim of the intercourse was the economic and cultural interflow and the tributary trade was one of the important forms to realize this interflow.This article introduce the situation in North-east area at that time, expound the background of the tributary trade, discuss detailedly the basic way and content of this kind of trade and sum up the gains and losses of the tributary trade between two nations.During over 300 years of Song Dynasty , Gaoli sent ministers to Song for 68 times (including 3 failed ) . Song sent ministers to Gaoli for 40 times (including sending merchants with the imperial governmental mission twice). In thegovernmental intercourse, there was abundant tributary trade. As one of the nicest time in the relationship between Korea and China in history, Song and Gaoli continued with the relationship of zuzerain and vassal state built since ancient times in the form of tributary trade. During the trade Song and Gaoli could both get benefit, promote the development of their own economy and culture and improve the traditional friendship. The research on the Tributary Trade between Song and Gaoli is very important for analyzing and facing go step further the relationship between China and Korea in that period.