大学英语论文

2024年3月13日发(作者：仲殊)

On European international relations and tributary system in China

Class E.078 Name朱虹 Number: 07014648

Throughout the history, the foreign policy for a country plays an important role in

developing the country. From very long time ago, the rules of society between

western countries and China already have differences. And comes to the modern

European international relations and the Chine tributary system in history, there also

has a lot to say in comparison. Absolutely they both have advantages and

disadvantages. Meanwhile the reason that influences the rulers is esntial for forming

such systems. And I will figure the differences between them in the next.

First of all, the geographies between European countries and China are very different.

As for China, it has a huge continent which is one of the largest countries in the world.

And it has mild climate, and complex terrain. With the three commercial advantages

and some different kinds of natural features in related regions, making China contains

abundant natural resources. Therefore, China develops its lf-sufficient economy

very well, and it can meet the Chine’s living needs. The Chine people believe the

harvest is the natural gift and is fastidious about beauty to unite and pay more

attention to the human relations. What’s more, in ancient, China with this kind of

economy became very rich and strong. The Chine rulers don’t have to fight for food

and money. They emphasized the moral education of "barbarians" and the treatment

of them with courtesy, and his purpo is getting a peaceful environment for both

suzerain itlf and tributary states. While the cradle of the western culturess is Greece

which is open wide and marine climate. People there needs to fight against the

formidable natural conditions for ages. Hence, it builds them scientific traditions that

to explore the nature and conquer the nature. The open-space natural geography also

make them contact and communicate with the outside frequently. Gradually, they

become more and more greedy and want more resources and wealth. So the European

colonialist s simply conquered, slaughtered the aboriginals in pursuit of maximum

profits.

Secondly, it turns to the development of the economy. Throughout the history, the

agricultural economy appeared early and played a very important role. Further more,

it took the way that making oxen pull the plows, and the irrigation works developed

very well so that the successful agricultural techniques had also grown up. At the

same time, the small-peasant economy became the basic model of the agricultural

production. It bad on houholds, men do the farm work and women engage in

spinning and weaving, it combined the agriculture and the handicraft. This kind of

lf-sufficient natural economy was the basic form of the feudal economy. Including

all the features of the small-peasant economy in ancient China, the Chine people

possd a certain land, means of production such as farm implements or farm

animal. So they had the enthusiasm for production. And they ud their limited lands,

tried their best to improve the farming technique, contributed greatly to the

development of ancient China’s agriculture and agricultural economy. As a result,

except the salt and iron, they do not need articles for daily u from outside, they can

live on their own. Therefore, it is the key of the problem. Chine rulers with such a

country, did not need to invade other countries. They just consider to keep the peace

with the peripheral countries. So they emphasized the moral education of "barbarians"

and the treatment of them with courtesy, and keep them safely away, as a means of

safeguarding national curity. On the contrary, in the Europe in about 14 and 15

century, western Europe began to explore the cours to east mainly becau of four

reasons. First is the objective cau for the cultures fragment and groups. And the

subjective reason that is they want to get gold and luxury goods from the eastern

countries. Thirdly, the root cau is the germ of the Economy of Capitalism. In the 14

and 15 century, as the productivity incread and the division of labor enlarged while

the commodity money relationship developed fast and the market exchanged

frequently, besides the popularity of technology primarily the Four Great Inventions

of Ancient China. The Economy of Capitalism appeared. And the new air route

opened up the narrow world, brought out the commercial revolution and price

revolution. The development of the capital economy made European colonialists

began the colonial expansions in pursuit of maximum profits.

Thirdly, from my own understanding, maybe it is the most important reason that effect

on between China and European countries take the different attitude on the policy that

towards other countries. That is the difference of cultures. And throughout the history,

Chine culture has a deep influences of Confucianism. Since the major thoughts of

Confucianism has the point that paying attention to personal cultivation and the power

of morality. Meanwhile it also prai highly of opposing force and laying stress on

getting on well with both other people and nature, pursuing spiritual freedom.

Additionally, Confucianism puts humanity and “piety” as the core of society

construction. Therefore, Chine rulers emphasized the moral education of

“barbarians” and treated them with courtesy. What’s more, in Confucianism, there is

another idea called golden mean. From my perspective, I consider it is also why

Chine rulers took different attitudes with modern European about treat other

countries. The golden mean refers to the attitude that neither being too overhanging

nor too fall behind about dealing with affairs in society. Hence, Chine rulers just

different with the Europeans, they did not take a risk and took the tributary systerms,

kept a peaceful relationship with “barbarians”, as a means of safeguarding national

curity. So in history carried out Zhen He’s Voyage to the Western Seas. In Ming

dynasty, the empire nt Zhen he leading large fleets full of money and valuables

oceangoing voyage and they visited more than thirty countries and areas in West

Pacific and Indian Ocean. The purpo of this voyage was not to pursuit of profits but

publicize the Chine culture and keep good relationship with tho countries. Since

Zhen He’s Voyage had political purpo rather than economical purpo, and its

expen was all depending on Ming dynasty’s strong national strength to support, it

brought no economic interests to China at all. At last it ended with decline of Ming

dynasty’s national power. On the contrary , in western countries, the thought

foundation was almost derived from the ideas of the Renaissance in Europe, however

the source was ancient Greek and Roman culture, had been significant influenced by

the Christian religion. What’ more, this kind of culture emphasize the importance of

personal freedom and individual rights, at the same time are more practice-oriented,

being brave in exploring and adventurous. So this thought guided the westerners and

they took the modern European international relations, and European colonialists

simply conquered, slaughtered the aboriginals. Make a general survey of western

modern history, the development of European capitalism always to be accompanied

by violence and pillage.

Speaking of the merits and demerits, both the two systems have their own

advantages and disadvantages. As for Chine tributary system, from the positive

aspect, as China is a strong country in Southeast Asia even around the world, it ud

this system to widely spread Chine traditions and political ideas. And becau of the

connection, the tributary states developed their economy and benefited from China

and kept a good relationship from each other. However the thought of Middle

Kingdom made Chine rulers lf-satisfied and misd a lot of chances to reform.

And the tributary depends on China too much also leaded to their end. Whereas for

the modern European international relations, to the colonial states, they plundered the

wealth of the colonies, changed it into capital and greatly promoted the European

capitalist development. What’s more it broke the world’s relatively isolation, made the

whole world become an entirety that interact and bonded together and definitely

promoted the word integration. In addition, the colonialism brought the advanced

production operation way, life styles and new ideas and promoted the colonies’ history

and development. On the other hand, the colonialism was also a disaster and suffering

to the colonies. It made the countries in Asia, Africa and Latin fall behind. What’s

wor the hurt to their spirits could never be cured and had a terrible affect to their

rest life and next generation.

All in all, no matter Chine tributary system or modern European international

relations, although they both have advantages and disadvantages, they conformed to

the development requirements of the times. And for Chine tributary system and

modern European international relations, they both contributed to their cultural,

economy, ideas and other aspects’ influences. Further more, they deeply effected the

world has been the pattern and the development of human being history. As we

college students, we’d face up to the problem and e through the appearance to

perceive the esnce so that we can improve our capability to parsing problems and

cultivate own personality.