How Bhutan never bent the Knee

[Sunforged General]

Some one correct me if I am wrong, But from what I understand, Bhutan is the only east Asian nation (unless you count the Mughal Empire to be in East Asia) to have never become a tributary state to Imperial China. Nepal sent tribute to China during the 17th century, Thailand/Siam, Vietnam, and the various Korean Kingdoms had sent tribute to China for over a thousand years. Even Japan under shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu sent tribute to the Ming. And some island states in south east Asia sent tribute to China at various times.

So what I want to discuss is how exactly Bhutan escaped becoming a tributary state of China despite being so small and on the border of Imperial China? Was it too small to be seen as worth the effort to subjugate?

 

[es157]

On one hand, it is too small and poor to matter. On the other, I believe it is physically separated from China by a massive wall of titanic mountains. Bhutan is located inside a valley in the Hymalayas, shielded on the north side by an impassable barrier.

Or am I wrong?

 

[Sunforged General]

On one hand, it is too small and poor to matter. On the other, I believe it is physically separated from China by a massive wall of titanic mountains. Bhutan is located inside a valley in the Hymalayas, shielded on the north side by an impassable barrier.

Or am I wrong?

Bhutan is in a valley, but there are traversible paths that go north into Tibet. There was extensive travel of monks and merchants between Tibet and Bhutan. These same mountain paths could in theory support the passage of an army.