Abstract: In response to the adverse views of the Tribute System that some scholars have advanced，this essay examines the original purpose of the Tribute System at the time when the Qing Dynasty was building political relationships with foreign countries. The Qing Dynasty instituted the Tribute System with the obvious intention of seeking her own security and stability in border areas. Compared with the Ming Dynasty，the Qing Dynasty abandoned the political ideal of playing the role of“emperor of the whole world”overseas，as conceived by Ming Taizu (Zhu Yuanzhang) and Ming Chengzu (Zhu Di). Instead，the Qing Dynasty concentrated much more on its own stability and security in border areas when dealing with foreign affairs. The Tribute System of the Qing Dynasty emphasized the frontier defense system. Reflecting their political interests，the Qing rulers preferred institutional arrangements for tributary affairs，the Ministry of Rites and The Court of Colonial Affairs ( Lifan yuan)，took charge of neighboring countries’tributary affairs. To a certain extent，these arrangements were relevant to different national characteristics，and this reflected the relevance and flexibility of the Qing Dynasty in dealing with foreign affairs.

摘要： 本文针对学术界有人完全否定中国古代朝贡制度的观点,专门考察了清朝在与外国开展政治关系时建立朝贡制度的最初目的。我们认为,清朝所构建的朝贡制度具有谋求自身安全和边疆稳定的显著用意。与明朝相比较,清朝在处理涉外事务时在实际上已经摒弃了明朝二祖在海外世界扮演"天下共主"的理想,而专注于自身的边疆稳定和安全,使她的封贡体系具有周邻性和边疆防御体系的突出特征。而清朝将周邻诸国的朝贡事务分别安排于礼部和理藩院两个不同机构进行管理,则反映了清朝统治者对朝贡事务所做的制度安排,一定程度上结合了相关国家和部落的民族特质,体现了清人处理涉外事务的针对性和灵活性。