Which of the following can be inferred about China’s Ming Dynasty tribute system?(1 point)

Responses

By persuading other countries to pay tribute, China demonstrated that it was a powerful country that others should respect.

It was not successful because countries did not offer tribute to China.

China only sought tributes from countries that bordered them.

Tributes were something entirely new that had never been used before.

By persuading other countries to pay tribute, China demonstrated that it was a powerful country that others should respect.

The statement that can be inferred about China's Ming Dynasty tribute system is:

"By persuading other countries to pay tribute, China demonstrated that it was a powerful country that others should respect."

To determine the correct answer among the given options, we need to analyze each statement. Let's go through them one by one:

1. "By persuading other countries to pay tribute, China demonstrated that it was a powerful country that others should respect."
This statement suggests that China used the tribute system to showcase its power and demand respect from other countries. This aligns with the historical purpose of the Ming Dynasty's tribute system.

2. "It was not successful because countries did not offer tribute to China."
This statement implies that the tribute system was unsuccessful because countries did not comply with China's demands for tribute. However, this statement contradicts historical evidence that supports the effectiveness and influence of the tribute system during the Ming Dynasty.

3. "China only sought tributes from countries that bordered them."
This statement suggests that China only requested tribute from neighboring countries. While it is true that China heavily targeted neighboring states, the tribute system extended beyond just bordering countries, as China sought tributes from various regions and even as far as Africa.

4. "Tributes were something entirely new that had never been used before."
This statement implies that tributes were a novelty introduced by the Ming Dynasty. However, the tribute system was not new during the Ming Dynasty; it had been practiced by earlier dynasties in China's history.

Based on the analysis, the statement that best aligns with the nature and purpose of China's Ming Dynasty tribute system is:
- "By persuading other countries to pay tribute, China demonstrated that it was a powerful country that others should respect." (Option 1)

Therefore, the correct answer is: "By persuading other countries to pay tribute, China demonstrated that it was a powerful country that others should respect."