International Relations From The Perspective Of Hua Yi System

As a particular historical international system in East Asia, the Sino-centric Tributary System should attract much more attention of the international relations researchers. Due to certain reasons, researchers of international relations haven't pay much attention as it should be paid to the Tributary System. The core of contemporary International System is the same with that of the Westphalian System. And the three most influenced paradigms of international theory, namely the realism, the idealism and the structuralism, are all based on the Westphalia System.Totally differentiate with the Westphalian System; the Tributary System existed over two thousand years. However, the theory of international relations based on the Westphalian System has never touched upon the Tributary System; this is really a pity. Neither the theory of international relations could explain the Tributary System. Therefore, further digging towards the Tributary System is of significant importance to build an international theory with Chinese Characteristics. On the basis of thorough study of the Tributary System, this paper follows the rules of positivism, and tries to take existing Western Theory of international relations as a tool to validate the Tributary System. And the author further believes the points that Western Theory cannot explain need to be paid special attention and further study need to be carried out.Concerning the content, this thesis consists of five parts. The first part serves as a brief introduction to the researching status of the Tributary System. The second part mainly deals with the three main factors of the Tributary System, namely the concept of Tianxia, the investiture system and tributary trade; and tries to examine the relations between the three factors. The third part tries to tell at what degree the theory of Hegemonic Peace can explain the long peaceful and stable relations between countries within the Sino-centric Tributary System. The theory of Hegemonic Peace thinks that a hegemonic country plays a vital importance to maintain the peaceful relations with the hegemonic system. This is somewhat similar with the factor that when China was strong and powerful, the Sino-centric system was stable; when China become weak, the system tended to decay and war between countries took place. Therefore, to find out whether the Sino-centric Tributary System is a hegemonic one and distinguishes it from hegemony system is of great importance. From the culture perspective of constructivism, the fourth part touches upon the culture of the Tributary System. Part five is the conclusion and the author raises some interesting questions concerned.